1882 
.907 


UC  NRLF 


3ITION 


B   M   Elfl   SflE 


Catechism  of  Music 


J.    JOUSSE 


Revised  and  Edited  by 
LOUIS  C.  ELSON  «d  H.  L.  HEARTZ 


rx 


With  an  Addendum  Containing 

An  Elementary  Treatise  on  Piano  Technique  Compiled 
from  the  Works  of  Richter,  Marx,  Hurrowes,  etc. 


■^F- 


White-Smith  Music  Publishing  Go. 

BOSTON  NEW   YORK  CHICAGO 


Copyright,  1907.  by  White-Smith  Muiio  Publishing  Co. 


^ 


\s     ( I — I — I 

•V      Vr-H 


CONSERVATORY  EDITION 


A  Catechism  of  Music 

BY 

J.    JOUSSE 


Revised  and  Edited  by 
LOUIS  G.  ELSON  and  H.  L.  HEARTZ 


With  an  Addendum  Containing 

An  Elementary  Treatise  on  Piano  Technique  Compiled 
from  the  Works  of  Richter,  Marx,  Hurrowes,  etc. 


White-Smith  Music  Publishing  Go- 
boston  NEW  YORK  CHICAGO 


Copyright,  1907,  by  White-Smith  Music  Publishing  Co. 


CY^-fl 


IY 


ONTENTS 


JETTON  FAGB 

I.    Staff,  Notes,  and  Clefs 1 

II.    The  Key -board,  and  Names  of  Keys 7 

III.  The  different  kinds  of  Notes,  and  their  Proportions.  8 

IV.  The  Dot,  and  Proportion  of  Notes  in  Triple  Time      ,  II 
V.    Rests,  or  Silent  Signs 13 

VI.   Intervals 14 

VII.    The  Sharp,  Flat,  and  Natural 16 

VIII.   The  Double  Sharp  and  Double  Fiat 19 

IX.   The  Scale  and  its  Formation 20 

The  Chromatic  Scale 22 

X.    The  Keys  and  Modes 23 

XI.   The  Time,  or  Tempo .28 

XII.    Counting  and  Beating  Time 31 

XIII.  Italian  Terms  of  Expression  relating  fco  Time  and 

Character 34 

XIV.  Graces,  or  Embellishments 36 

XV.    Expression 40 

XVI.    Characters  in  Common  Use .  48 

XVII.    Abbreviations  and  Licenses 50 

XVIII.    Position  at  the  Pianoforte      .     .         52 

XIX.    Fingering        ............  53 

XX     Transposition ..5? 

ADDENDUM 

1.   The  Key -board  and  Intervals 63 


II.  Accent  and  Syncopation 71 

III.  Additional  Embellishments 74 

IV.  Ordinary  Forms  of  Composition 75 

V.  Relationship  of  the  Keys,  or  Modulation       ....  79 

VI.  Elementary  Treatise  on  Piano  Technique     ....  84 


MT7.  J6SU.  ffeiMu. 


A  CATECHISM  OF  MUSIC 

SECTION    I 
STAFF,   NOTES,   AND   CLEFS 

What  is  music  ? 

Music  is  the  art  of  grouping  musical  tones  in  succes- 
sion or  combination. 

What  is  a  tone  ? 

A  sound  of  definite  pitch  (high  or  low),  value  (long  or 
short),  and  power  (loud  or  soft). 

What  is  a  succession  of  musical  tones  denominated  * 
Melody. 

What  name  is  applied  to  musical  tones  in  combination  r 
Harmony. 

How  are  musical  ideas  expressed  in  writing  ? 
By  characters  called  notes  and  rests. 

How  many  notes  are  used  ? 
Seven. 

How  are  they  named  ? 

By  the  first  seven  letters  of  the  alphabet  —  A,  B,  C, 
D,  E,  F,  G.* 


•  In  Italy  and  France,  the  notes  are  expressed  by  the  following  syllables :~ 

do,    re,    mi,    fa,    sol,    la,    si. 

C,    D,    E,    F,    G,    A,    B. 


2  A    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 

How  are  the  notes  written? 

On  live  parallel  lines  and  their  spaces,  which,  taken 
collectively,  are  termed  the  staff. 


Lines 

Spaces 

.          5 

,         ■* 

n 

3 

'4 

-       i         2 

.1 

How  are  the  lines  and  spaces  of  the  staff  counted  ? 
From  the  bottom  upwards. 

How  are  the  names  of  the  notes  and  their  pitch  ascertained  ? 
By  means  of  a  character  called  a  clef,  which  is  placed 
,t  the  beginning  of  the  staff. 

How  many  clefs  nrp  used  in  pianoforte  music  ? 
Two,  viz.,  the  treble  clef  and  the  bass  clef. 

What  line  of  the  staff  is  the  treble  clef  placed  upon  ? 
On  the  second  line  from  the  bottom. 

What  note  or  letter  does  it  make  ? 
The  letter  or  note  G. 

Tkeble  Clef. 


fef 


What  are  the  uo;es  on  the  five  lines  of  the  treble  staff  ? 
The  first  line  is  E;  the  second,  G;  the  third,  l>;  the 
fourth,  D ;  and  the  fifth.  F 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


Notes  on  the  Links 

-—i i 


i^i 


B 


V 


What  are  the  notes  in  the  tour  spaces? 

The  first  space  is  F ;  the  second,  A ;  the  third,  C ;  and 
le  fourth,  E. 

Notes  in  the  Spaces. 


g^^I^ 


Are  the  notes  always  confined  within  the  live  lines  and  four 
spaces  of  the  staff  ? 

No ;  they  frequently  extend  above  or  below ;  then 
additional  lines,  called  leger  lines  are  added  above  or 
below  the  staff,  and  the  notes  are  placed  on  or  between 
them. 

What  are  the  notes  on  the  additional  lines  above  the  treble 

staff  ? 

The  first  additional  line  is  A;  the  second,  C;  the 
third,  E;  the  fourth,  Gr;  the  fifth,  B. 

A  C  E  G  B 


i 


£=i 


£-£ 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


What  are  the  notes  in  the  additional  spaces  ? 
The  first  space  is  G ;  the  second,  P> ;  the  third,  D ;  the 
fourth,  Y  ;  the  fifth,  A  ;  the  sixth,  C. 


m 


1=1 


What  are  the  notes  on  the  additional  lines  below  the  treble 
staff  ? 

The  first  additional  line  is  C;  the  second  is  A. 

What  are  the  notes  in  the  additional  spaces  below  the  staff  ? 
The  first  space  below  is  D ;  the  second,  B ;  the  third, 


* 


m 


3=j 


3=E? 


Names  of  the  Notes  on  the  Treble  Staff 

.*_£.*  fbizete. 


g 


G  A  B   CDEFGABCDEFGAB  C D  E 

Note. —  The  notes  on  the  Treble  Staff  should  be  acquired  before 
the  pupil  attempts  learning  those  of  the  Bass  Staff. 

On  what  line  is  the  bass  clef  placed  ? 
On  the  fourth  line  from  the  bottom. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

What  note  or  letter  does  it  make  '.' 
The  note  or  letter  F. 

Bass  Clef 


m^^ 


What  are  the  notes  on  the  five  lines  of  the  bass  staff  ? 
The  first  line  is  G ;  the  second  line,  B ;  the  third  line, 
D;  the  fourth  line,  F;  and  the  fifth  line,  A. 
G  B         D  FA 


m 


What  are  the  notes  in  the  four  spaces  of  the  bass  staff  '.' 
The  first  space  is  A ;  the  second,  C  ;  the  third,  E ;  and 
the  fourth,  G. 


1 


What  are  the  notes  on  the  additional  lines  above  the  bass  staff  '.' 
The  first  line  is  0 ;  the  second,  E ;  the  third,  G. 


m 


6  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

What  are  the  notes  in  the  additional  spaces  above  the  bass 
staff  ? 

The  first  space  above  is  B ;  the  second,  D :  and  the 
third,  F. 

3 
2 


F 


£=! 


B  I)  F 

What  are  the  notes  on  the  additional  lines  below  the  bass  staff  ? 
The  first  line  below  is  E ;  the  second,  <  ■ ;  the  third,  A  ; 
and  the  fourth,  F 

-i a 3 * 1 


m 


-       i      J       £| 

E  C  A  F 

What  are  the  notes  in  the  additional  spaces  below  the  bass 
staff? 

The  first  additional  space  is  F;  the  second,  D;  the 
third,  P> ;  and  the  fourth,  G. 


\m 


F  D  B  G 

Names  of  the  Notes  on  the  Bass  Staff 

W.     ~=^rTi-H4rrrf 


±J4=ti^**** 


f  = 


F    G  A    B  C    D  E  F  G    A  B  C    D  E  F  G  A   H  C 


A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  I 

SECTION     II 
THE   KEY-BOARD,    AND   NAMES    OF    KEYS 

How  many  white  keys  are  there  on  a  seven  octave  pianoforte  ? 

Fifty. 

What  are  they  called  ? 

Naturals. 

How  many  black  keys  are  there  ? 

Thirty-five. 

What  are  they  called? 

Sharps  and  flats. 

On  what  key  is  the  bass  clef  note  played,  reckoning  from  the 
bottom  ? 

On  F ;  two  octaves  above  the  lowest  F. 

On  what  key  is  the  treble  clef  note  played  ? 

On  G ;  nine  notes  above  F,  the  bass  clef  note. 

How  are  the  keys  divided  ? 

The  white  keys  are  in  regular  succession  throughout 
the  key-board ;  the  black  keys  are  divided  into  clusters 
of  three  and  two  alternately. 

What  is  the  name  of  the  white  key  before  the  two  black  keys  '.' 

It  is  called  C. 

What  is  the  name  of  the  white  key  before  the  three  black  key-*  ? 

It  is  called  F. 

Can  you  by  these  two  key.-:.  C  and  F,  find  the  name  of  any 
other  key  ? 

Yes ;  by  naming  the  keys  according  to  the  order  of 
the  seven  letters.  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G. 


8  A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 

What  is  the  use  of  the  black  keys  ? 

Each  black  key  serves  for  the  sharp  of  the  note  below, 
and  for  the  flat  of  the  note  above,  The  black  key  above 
C  is  Cjf,  which  black  key  serves  also  tor  Db. 

Where  are  B  sharp  and  E  sharp  played,  as  there  is  no  black 
key  above  these  notes  ? 

On  the  keys  of  C  and  F  natural. 

Where  are  C  fiat  and  F  flat  played,  as  there  is  no  black  key 
below  these  notes  ? 

On  B  and  E  natural. 

Why  is  there  no  black  key  between  B  and  C,  or  between  E  and 
F? 

Because  these  notes  are  only  a  semitone  distant  from 
each  other ;  the  other  white  keys,  being  at  the  distance 
of  a  tone  from  each  other,  are  parted  by  a  black  key. 


SECTION   III 

THE   DIFFERENT   KINDS   OF   NOTES  AND   THEIR 
PROPORTIONS 

How  many  different  kinds  of  notes  are  there? 
Six. 

What  are  they  ? 

The  whole,  half,   quarter,  eighth,  sixteenth  and  thirty 
second. 

Describe  their  shape  ? 

1.    The  whole  note  is  an  open  oval,  written  thus:  a 


A   CATECHISM   OP    MUSIC  9 

2.  The  half  is  an  oval  with  a  stem  :  j* 

3.  The  quarter  is  a  black  dot  with  a  stem :    f 

4.  The  eighth  is  a  black  dot  with  a  stem  and  a  dash 
attached :    £ 

5.  The  sixteenth  has  two  dashes  to  its  stem  :   5 

V 

(>.    The  thirty-second  has  three  dashes  to  its  stem:    £ 

What  proportion  do  these  notes  bear  to  each  other  ? 
Each  note  is  equal  in  duration  to  one  half  of  the  pre- 
ceding note,  and  double  in  duration  the  succeeding  note. 

Proportion  of  the  Notes  in  Common  Time 

1.  How  many  halves  make  a  whole  note  ? 
T  wo, 

How  many  quarters  make  a  whole  note  ? 
Four. 

How  many  eighths  in  a  whole  note  '.' 
Eight. 

How  many  sixteenths  in  a  whole  note  ? 
Sixteen. 

How  many  thirty-seconds  in  a  whole  note  ? 
Thirty-two. 

2.  How  many  quarters  in  a  half  note  ° 
Two. 

How  many  eighths  in  a  half  note  ? 
Four. 


10  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

How  many  sixteenths  in  a  half  note  ? 
Eight. 

How  many  thirty-seconds  in  a  half  note  ? 
Sixteen. 

3.  How  many  eighths  make  a  quarter  ? 
Two. 

How  many  sixteenths  ? 

Four. 

How  many  thirty-seconds  ? 

Eight. 

4.  How  many  sixteenths  make  an  eighth  ? 
Two. 

How  many  thirty -seconds  in  a  sixteenth  '.' 
Two. 

The  pupil  is  advised  to  write  exercises  on  the  proportion  of  the 
notes  in  common  and  triple  time. 


A  whole  note  <?-  is  also  called  a  semibreve. 

a 
A  half  note  |     is  also  called  a  minim. 

-i 

A  quarter  note    |     is  also  called  a  crotchet. 

An  eighth  note  f  is  also  called  a  quaver. 

A  sixteenth  note  ^  is  also  called  a  semiquaver. 

A  thirty-second  note     j^    is  also  called  a  demisemiquaver. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 
Time— T4blb. 

r 


11 


0  0  0  0 


0 

0 

0 

p 

0    0    0    0 

$    p 

=  =  vb 

The  stems  of  the  notes  may  be  turned  up  or  down,  tied  or  not, 
without  changing  the  duration  of  the  notes. 


SECT  I  OX     IV 


THE    DOT,    AND    PROPORTION    OF    NOTES   IN   TRIPLE 
TIME 

What  is  the  effect  of  a  dot  after  a  note  ? 

It  makes  the  note  half  as  long  again. 

How  many  half  notes  are  there  in  a  dotted  whole  note  ? 

Three. 


How  many  quarter  notes  in  a  doited  whole  note  ? 
Six. 


feii 


?=f=fI 


12  A   CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC 

How  many  eighths  ? 

Twelve. 

How  many  sixteenths  ? 

Twenty-four. 

2.  How  many  quarters  in  a  dotted  half  ? 
Three. 

How  many  eighths  ? 

Six. 

How  many  sixteenths  ? 

Twelve.  , 

A  dotted  half  f  '  is  equal  to  3  *  f  f  or  (5  f/  fj'  [J* 

or  12  f  f  f  f  f  f  f  f  f  f  f * 

3.  How  many  eighths  make  a  dotted  quarter  ? 
Three. 

How  many  sixteenths  ? 

Six. 

A  dotted  quarter  *  *  is  equal  to  3  £  J  J  or  6  \P\\?\ 

4.  How  many  sixteenths  in  a  dotted  eighth  ? 
Three. 

How  many  thirty-seconds  ? 
Six. 


A  dotted  eighth  £  *     is  equal  to  3  £f  %  or  six  j 


ffff  ff 

How  many  thirty -seconds  make  a  dotted  sixteenth  ? 
Three. 


The  Double  Dot 
What  is  the  effect  of  a  double  dot  after  a  note  ? 
It  makes  the  note  three-fourths  longer. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

To  what  is  a  double  dotted  half  equal  ? 
A  half,  quarter  and  eighth  note. 

f  '  '  equal  to  j^^'w* 

To  what  is  a  double  dotted  quarter  equal  ? 
A  quarter,  eighth  and  sixteenth  note. 
f  '  '  equal  to  ^'wj 


IS 


SECTION   V 
RESTS,   OR   SILENT  SIGNS 

What  are  rests  ? 

Signs  which  denote  a  silence  equal  in  duration  to  the 
respective  note  they  represent. 
How  is  a  whole  rest  expressed  '? 

By  a  small  stroke  placed  under  a  line  of  the  staff. 
How  is  a  half  rest  expressed  ? 
By  a  small  stroke  over  a  line 


Whole  Rest.                     Half  Rest. 

How  is  a  quarter  rest  represented  ? 
With  one  of  the  following  signs  \  X  T 
How  is  an  eighth  rest  represented  ? 
With  the  following  character  n 

Quarter  Rests.  Eighth  Rest. 

— y=  —  t—      x      "— 1 


14 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


How  is  sixteenth  rest  made  ? 
With  the  following  character  3 
How  is  a  thirty-second  rest  made  ? 
With  the  following  character  Z 


Sixteenth   Rest. 


rHIKTY-SECOND    R 


■     I         EE^=1= 


When  the  duration  of  a  rest  is  prolonged,  how  is  it  expressed 
By  placing  a  dot  after  the  rest. 


Quarter  Rkst  Dotted. 


EyiAL     TO. 


I- 


SECTION    VI 


INTERVALS 


What  is  an  interval '.' 

The  difference  of  pitch  between  two  tones. 

What  is  pitch  ? 

The  height  or  depth  of  a  musical  sound. 

What  is  a  semitone  '.' 

The  smallest  interval  on  the  pianoforte ;  that  is,  the 
distance  from  any  note  to  the  next  above  or  below ;  as 
B  to  C,  or  B  to  B  flat ;  C  to  B,  or  C  to  C  sharp. 


A    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  10 

How  many  kinds  of  semitones  are  there  ? 
Two ;  diatonic  and  chromatic. 

What  is  a  diatonic  semitone  ? 

Contiguous  notes  or  keys  named  by  a  different  letter ; 
as,  C  to  B,  C  toD  flat. 

What  is  a  chromatic  semitone  '.' 

Contiguous  notes  or  keys  named  by  the  same  Letter; 
as,  B  to  B  flat,  C  to  C  sharp. 

What  is  a  tone  ? 

The  interval  comprising  two  semitones;  as  from  C  to 
] ),  from  C  sharp  to  D  sharp,  or  from  ( !  to  B  flat. 

How  are  other  intervals  detined  ? 

By  numbers,  counted  from  any  given  note,  which  is 
always  regarded  as  the  first. 

Are  intervals  reckoned  upwards  or  downwards? 
Upwards,  unless  the  contrary  is  specified. 

What  is  the  second  from  C  ? 
D. 

What  is  the  third  from  C  ? 

E. 

What  is  the  fourth  from  C  ? 

F. 

What  is  the  fifth  from  C  ? 
G. 

What  is  the  sixth  from  C  ? 
A- 


16 


A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


What  is  the  seventh  from  C  ? 

B. 

What  is  the  eighth  or  octave  from  C  ? 

c. 


SECTION    VII 


THE  SHARP,  FLAT,  AND  NATURAL 

What  is  the  effect  of  a  sharp  ($)  ? 

It  raises  the  note  before  which  it  is  placed  a  semitone, 
and  this  is  played  on  the  next  key  to  the  right. 


M 


=8*= 


F  natural.  F  sharp.  C  natural.  C  sharp. 
What  is  the  effect  of  a  flat  (b)  ? 

It  lowers  the  note  before  which  it  is  placed  a  semitone, 
and  this  is  played  on  the  next  key  to  the  left. 


£ 


-W 


B  natural.  B  flat.   E  natural.  E  flat.  « 
Is  it  neccessary  to  mark  every  sharp  or  flat  required  in  a  com- 

position  ? 

No;  the  sharps  and    flats  necessary  to  the   key  are 

marked  at  the  beginning  of  each  line,  and  constitute 

the   signature.     These    continue   throughout  the   piece, 

unless  contradicted  by  naturals. 


*  The  teacher  should  ask  the  intervals  to  any  other  given  note ; 
P,  and  the  pupil  find  the  answers. 


as  D,  E, 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


17 


What  is  the  effect  of  a  natural  (□)? 

It  contradicts  either  the  sharp  or  the  flat,  and  brings 
the  note  back  to  its  original  state. 


m 


P 


H 


F.   F  sharp.  F  natural.      E.         B  flat.  B  natural. 

Are  the  black  keys  ever  used  as  naturals  ? 

No ;  the  naturals  are  exclusively  white  keys,  although 
some  white  keys  are  used  as  flats  and  sharps  likewise. 

Which  white  keys  are  used  as  flats  and  sharps  ? 

The  two  white  keys  having  no  black  note  between ; 
which  are  respectively  C  Hat  and  B  sharp;  F  flat  and 
E  sharp. 

Which  is  the  first  sharp  ? 

F  sharp. 

Which  is  the  second  sharp  ? 

C  sharp,  the  fifth  note  in  alphabetical  order  above  F 
sharp. 

1st  sharp.  2d  sharp. 


*= 


Which  is  the  third  sharp  ? 

G-  sharp,  the  fifth  note  in  alphabetical  order  above  0 
sharp. 

2d  sharp.  3d  sharp. 

*J  1  2  3  4.  fi 


18  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

Which  i.s  the  fourth  .sharp  ? 

The  fourth  sharp  is  D  sharp ;  the  fifth  A ;  the  sixth 
E;  and  the  seventh  B  sharp. 

Which  are  the  seven  sharps  when  placed  according  to  their 
order  ? 

The  seven  sharps  are  E,  C,  G,  D,  A,  E,  and  B. 


i 


P^*e=§ee^e£ 


8 


Which  i.s  the  first  flat  ? 

B  flat. 

Which  is  the  second  flat  ? 

The  fourth  note   in  alphabetical  order  above  B  flat. 
Thus,  the  first  flat  being  B,  by  counting  four  from  that 
note  —  B.  C,  D,  E,  the  second  flat  will  fall  on  E. 
1st  flat.  2d  flat. 


& 


£ 


Which  is  the  third  flat  ? 
The  third  flat  is  A  flat. 

2d  flat.  3d  flat. 


I 


W—^f 


jfc 


Which  is  the  fourth  flat  ? 
The  fourth  flat  is  I)  flat. 

3d  flat.  4th  flat. 


A    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  19 

Which  Is  the  fifth  flat  ? 

The  fifth  flat  is  G  flat ;  the  sixth   flat  is  C  flat ;  and 
the  seventh  flat  is  V  flat. 

What  is  the  order  of  the  seven  fiats  ? 

The  seven  flats  are  B,  E,  A,  I),  G,  C,  and  F. 


$ 


Is  that  order  always  preserved  in  the  signature  ? 

Yes ;  the  second  flat  or  sharp  is  never  placed  after 
the  clef,  unless  preceded  by  the  first :  nor  the  third 
without  the  first  and  second. 


SECTION   VII  r 

THE  DOUBLE  SHARP,  AND  DOUBLE  FLAT 

What  is  the  effect  of  a  double  sharp  ? 

A  double  sharp  (x)  raises  a  note  already  sharp  another 
semitone. 

Which  is  the  note  played  ? 

A  note  with  a  double  sharp  is  played  two  keys  higher; 
therefore  F  double  sharp  is  played  on  G. 

Same  as  G. 


F  natural.  F  sharp.         F  double  sharp. 


20 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


How  is  the  double  sharp  contradicted  ? 
By  a  natural  followed  by  a  sharp. 

*= 


Efe 


F  sharp.        F  double  sharp.   F  siugle  sharp. 

What  is  the  effect  of  a  double  flat  ? 

A  double  flat  ()?(?)  lowers  a  note  already  flat  another 
semitone  ;  B  double  flat  is  played  two  keys  lower. 


1 


!?. 


m»~- 


t=f= 


B  natural. 


B  flat.     B  double  flat. 


How  is  a  double  flat  contradicted  ? 
By  a  natural  followed  by  a  flat. 


-m- 


;=fi?Zz 


^ 


B  flat.      B  double  flat.  B  flat. 


SECTION   IX 
THE   SCALE  AND   ITS  FORMATION 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  scale  ? 
This  name  is  given  to  a  succession  of  seven  notes, 
ascending  or  descending. 

How  many  sorts  of  scales  are  there  in  music  ? 
Two;  the  diatonic  and  the  chromatic. 


A    CATECHISM   OF    MUSIC  21 

Of  what  does  the  diatonic  scale  consist  ? 

It  consists  of  five  tones  and  two  semitones. 

How  are  the  tones  and  semitones  arranged  in  the  major  scale  ? 

The  major  scale  proceeds  by  two  successive  tones, 
followed  by  a  semitone,  then  by  three  successive  tones 
and  a  semitone  ;  for  instance,  the  scale  of  C  Major  pro- 
ceeds thus  :  from  C  to  1)  a  tone,  from  I)  to  E  atone,  from 
Eto  F  a  semitone,  from  F  to  CI  a  tone,  G  to  A  a  tone, 
A  to  I)  a  tone,  B  to  C  a  semitone. 

1234  5  678 


* 


-> 


s> &- 

J  I I  I t  I i  I 1 

tone      tone  tone      tone      tone 

semitone  semitone 


Where  are  the  semitones  placed  in  the  foregoing  scale  ? 

The  semitones  occur  between  the  third  and  fourth 
degrees,  and  between  the  seventh  and  eighth  degrees. 

Is  the  descending  major  scale  the  same  as  the  ascending  scale  ? 

Yes. 

How  are  the  tones  and  semitones  placed  in  the  minor  scale  ? 

The  minor  scale  proceeds  by  one  tone,  followed  by  a 
semitone,  then  by  four  successive  tones  and  a  semitone: 
for  instance,  the  scale  of  A  minor  proceeds  thus  —  from 
A  to  B  a  tone,  from  B  to  C  a  semitone,  C  to  D  a  tone, 
from  D  to  E  a  tone,  from  E  to  F  sharp  a  tone,  from  F 
sharp  to  G  sharp  a  tone,  from  G  sharp  to  A  a  semitone. 


m 


Jte=S 


tone  tone     tone     tone     tone 

semitone  semitone 


22  A   CATECHISM    <>F    MUSIC 

Where  are  the  semitones  placed  in  the  foregoing  scale  ? 

Between  the  second  and  third  degrees,  and  between 
the  seventh  and  eighth. 

How  are  the  tones  and  semitones  placed  in  (he  descending 
minor  scale  ? 

The  descending  minor  scale  proceeds  by  two  successive 
tones  and  a  semitone,  then  by  two  other  tones  and  a 
semitone,  and  ends  by  a  tone  ;  for  instance,  the  minor- 
scale  of  A  proceeds  thus :  from  A  to  G  a  tone,  from  G 
to  F  a  tone,  from  F  to  E  a  semitone,  from  E  to  D  a  tone, 
from  D  to  C  a  tone,  from  C  to  B  a  semitone,  from  B  to 

A  a  tone. 

semitone  semitone 

tone     tone  tone     tone  tone_ 


m 


7  6  5  4  3  2  1 

Where  are  the  semitones  placed  ? 

Between  the  second  and  third  degrees,  and  between 
the  fifth  and  sixth. 

The  Chromatic  Scale 

How  Is  the  chromatic  scale  formed  ? 

It  consists  of  twelve   successive  semitones,  thus  :  C, 
Dfc  D,  Eb,  E,  F,  F#,  (i,  Ab,  -V.  Bb,  B,  C. 

ilplppli  .>^-¥'< 

.inomei  example,  starting  on  a  sharp 


a    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  23 

SECTION    X 
THE   KEYS  AND   MODES 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  key  ? 

The  word  key  implies  a  regular  succession  of  seven 
tones,  regulated  by  a  principal  tone  called  the  key-note  or 
tonic. 

How  many  kinds  of  keys  are  there  ? 

Two  —  major  and  minor. 

How  do  you  know  ths  major  key  from  the  minor  ? 

The  major  key  is  known  by  its  major  third,  and  the 
minor  key  by  its  minor  third. 

What  is  a  major  third  ? 

When  from  the  tonic  to  the  third  note  above  there 
are  four  semitones  (on  the  pianoforte  five  keys),  the 
third  is  major,  and  the  key  is  called  a  major  key.  C,  E, 
is  a  major  third. 

Semitones.                                  Major  Third. 
„  1        a        3        4  


3=£ 


1 1 TL— I 

R7* 


What  is  a  minor  third  ? 

When  from  the  tunic  to  the  third  note  above  there 
are  but  three  semitones  (on  the  pianoforte  four  keys), 
the  third  is  minor,  and  the  key  a  minor  key. 

Semitones.  Minor  Third. 


24  A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 

Are  there  always  two  keys,  whether  you  have  one,  two,  three, 
four,  or  more  sharps  or  flats  at  the  signature  ? 

Yes;  any  key  whatever  must  be  either  in  the  major 
mode  and  formed  like  the  key  of  C  major,  or  in  the 
minor  mode,  and  then  it  is  formed  like  the  key  of  A 


What  is  the  rule  respecting  the  situation  of  the  major  aud  minor 
keys  ? 

When  sharps  are  after  the  clef,  the  tonic  of  the  major 
key  is  the  semitone  above  the  last  sharp,  and  the  tonic 
of  the  minor  key  is  a  tone  behyvv  the  last  sharp. 

By  this  rule,  what  are  the  keys  with  one  sharp  ? 
The  keys  of  G  major,  a  semitone  above  Fjj,  and  E 
minor,  a  tone  below  F$. 

,     n# a- 


E^ggg^fej^ 


What  are  the  keys  with  two  sharps  ? 
The  keys  of  D  major  and  B  minor. 


What  are  the  keys  with  three  sharps  ? 
The  keys  of  A  major  and  F$  minor. 


i^^^^^ms 


*=F 


What  are  the  keys  with  four  sharps  ? 
The  keys  of  E  major  and  CjJ  minor. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  25 


What  are  the  keys  with  five  sharps  ? 
The  keys  of  B  major  and  G$  minor. 
What  are  the  keys  with  six  sharps  ? 
The  keys  of  F#  major  and  D#  minor. 
And  seven  sharps  ? 
Cjf  major  and  A$  minor. 

The  Keys  with  Flats  at  the  Signature 

How  are  the  keys  with  flats  situated  ? 

The  tonic  of  the  major  key  is  a  fifth,  and  that  of  the 
minor  key  a  third  above  the  last  hat. 

By  this  rule  what  are  the  keys  with  one  flat  ? 

The  first  fiat  being  Bb,  the  two  keys  are  E  major  and 
D  minor;  the  former  a  fifth  above  Bb,  and  the  latter  a 
third  above. 


EBJXf^IUE^lU^ 


What  are  the  keys  with  two  flats  ? 

The  second  flat  being  Eb,  the  two  keys  are  Bb  major 
and  G  minor ;  the  former  a  fifth,  and  the  latter  a  third 
above  Eb. 

i  T  T  f  r-r-i^tf-P-*-^-J=3= 


Eg^flEEg^g: 


*=F 


26  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

What  are  the  keys  with  three  flats  '{ 

The  third  flat  being  At?,  the  two  keys  tire  Et>  major  and 
G  minor  ;  the  former  is  a  fifth,  and  the  latter  a  third  above 

At?. 


S!i^S*g 


What  are  the  keys  with  four  flats  ? 

The  fourth  flat  being  Dt>,  the  two  keys  are  At?  major 
and  E  minor ;  the  first  a  fifth,  and  the  second  a  third 
above  Dt?. 

What  are  the  keys  with  rive  flats  ? 

The  keys  of  Dt?  major  and  Bl?  minor 

What  are  the  keys  with  six  rlats  ? 

The  keys  of  Gt?  major  and  Et?  minor. 

And  seven  flats  ? 

Cb  major  and  At?  minor. 

How  many  keys  are  there  ? 

Twelve  major  and  twelve  minor  keys. 

What  are  the  twelve  major  keys  ? 

Major  Keys 

C,  no  sharp  or  flat.  F,  one  flat. 
G,  one  sharp.  Bl?,  two  flats. 

D,  two  sharps.  Et?,  three  flats. 

A,  three  sharps.  At?,  four  flats. 

E,  four  sharps.  Dt?,  five  flats. 

B,  five  sharps.  Gt?,  six  flats. 

Observe,  the  keys  of  B,  Gb,  and  I)b  are  used  ill  preference  to  Cb.  FJ  and 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


27 


rtiMtalrtfa 


F         Bt>  Kb  At?  Dl?  til? 


What  are  the  twelve  minor  keys? 

At},  no  sharps  or  flats. 
E,  one  sharp. 
B,  two  sharps. 

Fft,  three  sharps. 
Cjj,  tour  sharps. 
GJk  five  sharps. 


VW  EE3EEEE - =L: 


*fl 


1),  one  flat. 
G,  two  flats. 
C,  three  flats. 
F,  four  flats. 
Bb,  five  Hats. 
Kt?,  six  flats. 


Bb 


Eb 


^g^l 


b 


Observe,  the  keys  of  Bl7  minor  and  Eb  minor  are  used  in  preference  to  Atf 
minor  and  DJ  minor,  and  GJ  minor  in  preference  to  Ab  minor. 


28 


A   CATECHISM  OF    MUSIC 


SECTION    XI 
THE   TIME,    OR   TEMPO 

What  is  time  ? 

Time  is  the  measure  of  sounds  with  regard  to  their 
duration. 

How  many  kinds  of  time  are  there  ? 

Two  principal,  viz.,  common  and  triple  time. 

How  are  these  two  species  subdivided  ? 

Into  simple  and  compound. 

How  is  simple  common  time  expressed  ? 

By  f\   or   the   same    sign   with    a  line  through  it  — 

0;*  also  by  2 

What  must  a  bar  of  common  time  marked  C  contain  ? 
Four  quarter  notes,  or  the  length  of  a  whole  note  in 
other  notes. 


fei 


=t 


:i. 


^g^ 


What  does  a  bar  of  the  other  species  of  common  time  marked 
o 

'  contain  '? 
4 

It  contains  either  two  quarter  notes,  four  eighths,  or 
the  length  of  a  half  note  in  each  bar. 


ifeppgi=^i 


=J=^ 


*  Donbling  the  movement. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


What  is  the  meaning  of  the  figures  4  ? 


29 


The  figure  4  shows  that  the  measure  note  is  a  quarter, 
and  the  figure  2  indicates  that  every  measure  consists 
of  two  quarters,  or  their  equivalent  in  other  notes. 

What  is  compound  common  time  ? 

Compound  common  time  takes  place  when  two  "oars  of 
simple  triple  time  are  joined  into  one. 

How  many  species  are  there  ? 
Two  principal,  viz..  Q  and   g  * 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  figures  8  -.' 

The  figure  8  shows  that  the  measure  note  is  an  eighth, 
and  the  figure  6  indicates  that  each  bar  consists  of  six 
eighths  or  their  value  in  other  notes. 


What  is  the  meaning  of 


12  9 


That  every  bar   consists  of  twelve   eighths   or  their 
ralue  in  other  notes. 


•  The  other  twospecies,  viz.,    J    ^     are  seldom  used  in  modern  music. 


30 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


Triple  Time  Explained 

How  mauy  sorts  of  triple  time  are  there  ? 
Three  viz.,     \\% 


The  figure  2  shows  that  the  measure  note  is  ;t  half 
note,  and  the  figure  3  that  every  bar  consists  of  three 
half  notes  or  their  equivalent. 


Explain  the  second  species  ^. 

The  figure  4  shows  that  the  measure  note  is  a  quarter, 
and  the  figure  3,  that  every  bar  consists  of  three 
quarters. 


fc! 


i=Eif=fe 


Explain   the  third   species  g. 

The  figure  8  shows  that  the  measure  note  is  an  eighth 
and  the  figure  3,  that  every  bar  consists  of  three  eighths. 


•    ?      L 


■=1—1 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


31 


How  many  species  of  compound  triple  time  are  there  ? 
Two  principal,  viz.,  g  and  4- 

What  is  the  meaning  of  |  ? 

The  figures  |  denote  that  each  bar  consists  of  nine 
eighths,  or  their  value  in  other  notes. 


^ 


Igg^Siili^ 


SECTION    XII 
COUNTING  AND   BEATING  TIME 

How  is  the  time  of  a  musical  composition  to  be  counted  ? 

Various  ways,  according  to  the  number  of  parts  con- 
tained in  each  bar;  also,  according  to  the  speed  of  the 
movement. 

In  common  time  marked  C  how  is  the  time  counted  -.' 
The  quarter  being  the   measure  note,  generally   four 
parts  are  counted  in  each  bar. 

Moderato. 


«^  4  12       3       4        1  3  4  1234 

However,  in  a  slow  movement,  it  is   better  to  subdivide 
each  part,  and  to  count  eight  eighth  notes  in  each  bar. 


32 


A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 


Grave. 


m 


13       34 


ft<aC 


t£dS 


^■t 


1=H* 


t=t 


J4       56       7     8       1      2  3     4    56     78    12     34 

How  do  you  count  half  common  time  marked  ?  ? 
Generally  two  quarters  in  a  bar. 

Allegretto. 


#=4: 


4 


£=F 


:t 


^  1  2  1  2  1  2  J  2 

However,    in    a   slow  movement,   it   is  better  to  count 
eighths. 

How  do  you  count  compound  common  time  marked  ^  ? 
Generally  two  dotted  quarters  in  a  bar. 

_a£ -_    -_ 

F*ff)-8-«-*-»  -•-^•-F»-a<-«-r_H^FF«^-~ * — 


However,  in  a  slow  movement,  it  is  better  to  count  six 
eighths.  .< 

How  do  you  count  triple  time  marked  ?  ? 

Generally  three  quarters  in  a  bar. 


is 

b£=£ 


12312  3128 

However,  in  a  slow  movement,  it  is  better  to  count  six 
eighths  in  each  bar. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


33 


How  do  you  count  triple  time  marked  by  the  figures  g  ? 
Three  eighths  in  a  bar. 


ffim^mgwrnH^m 


Beating  Tunc 

Is  it  necessary  to  beat  time  ? 

Generally  speaking,  it  is  better  to  count  it;  however, 
singers  and  performers  on  wind  instruments  being  pre- 
vented from  counting,  must  beat  time. 

What  is  the  manner  of  beating  time  '.' 

By  marking  with  the  hand  or  foot  the  first  part  of 
each  bar. 

How  is  it  effected  ? 

In  common  time,  the  hand  or  foot  must  fall  on  the 
first  part  of  a  bar,  and  rise  on  the  third  part. 


Te  i 


•  [' 


f=f 


down,  up,  down, 

In  triple  time,  the  hand  or  foot  must    tall  on  the  first 
part  of  the  bar,  and  rise  on  the  third  part. 


i  m 


down, 


down. 


up, 


down,         up, 


34  A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


SECTION   XIII 

ITALIAN  TERMS   OF   EXPRESSION   RELATING  TO  TIME 
AND   CHARACTER 

How  is  the  speed  of  a  movement  or  a  piece  of  music  deter- 
mined ? 

Chiefly  by  the  Italian  word  or  words  affixed  at  the 
beginning. 

What  are  these  words,  and  what  is  their  meaning  ? 
The  following  are  some  of  those  in  general  use  ;  they 
are  classed  here  from  slow  to  quick. 

1.  Grave,  very  slow. 

2.  Adagio,  a  degree  faster. 

3.  Largo,  slow,  and  in  a  large  style. 

4.  Larghetto,  a  degree  faster  than  largo. 

5.  Andantino,  somewhat  slow  and  flowing. 

6.  Andante,  a  degree  faster  than  andantino. 

7.  Moderato,  moderate  time. 

8.  Allegretto,  lively  and  tripping.         .< 

9.  Allegro,  quick. 

i<>.     Vivace,  quick  and  vivacious. 

11.  Presto,  very  quick. 

12.  Prestissimo,  as  quick  as  possible. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  following  words  :  assai,  niolto,  piii, 
poco,  non  troppo  .' 

These  words,  when  joined  to  any  of  the  foregoing, 
serve  to  extend  or  modify  their  meaning:  as 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  35 

Adagio  non  //■»/>/,<>,  not  too  slow. 
Allegro  assai,  somewhat  quick. 
Piu  presto,  quicker  than  presto. 
Poco  presto,  almost  presto. 

How  is  the  character  of  a  piece  and  its  style  denoted  ? 
Generally  by  Italian  words. 

What  words  are  mostly  u^d  ? 

Affetuoso,  gently. 

Agitato,  with  emotion. 

Amoroso,  tenderly. 

Cantabile,  in  a  singing  style. 

Con  brio,  with  spirit. 

Confuoeo,  with  fire. 

Con  gusto,  with  taste. 

Brillante,  brilliantly. 

Pastorale,  in  a  simple,  unaffected  manner. 

Sosten uto,  sustained. 

Sch  erza  ndo,  \  day  fully. 

Vigoroso,  with  vigor. 

Where  are  these  words  placed  ? 

After  the  Italian  word  denoting  the  speed  of  the  move 
ment,  thus : 

Andante  affetuoso. 
Allegro  agitato. 
Allegro  con  brio. 
Andan  tino  amoroso. 


36  A    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 

SECTION   XIV 

GRACES,   OR   EMBELLISHMENTS 

What  are  the  principal  graces  made  use  of  in  musical  com- 
positions ? 

The  appoggiatura,  the  acciaccattira,  the  turn,  the  trill, 

and  the  mordent. 

How  is  the  appoggiatura  or  leaning  note  (derived  from  the  verb 
appoggiare,  to  lean)  expressed? 

By  a  small  note. 

How  many  sorts  of  the  appoggiatura  are  there  ? 

Two,  the  upper  and  the  lower. 

Explain  both. 

The  upper  appoggiatura  may  be  a  tone  or  a  semitone 
above  the  principal  note  :  the  lower  one  is  always  a 
semitone  below. 

What  is  the  length  of  the  appoggiatura? 

It  borrows  half  the  value  of  the  large  note  which  it 
precedes,  and  which  consequently  must  be  played  one 
half  shorter. 


m 


Written. 


o 


m 


Played. 


A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


37 


How  is  the  acciaccatura  expressed  and  performed  '? 

The  acciaccatura  is  also  expressed  by  a  small  note; 
but  it  has  a  line  drawn  through  it.  It  is  played  very 
short,  as  its  name  —  derived  from  the  verb  acciaccare,  to 
crush  --  indicates. 


Written. 


*: 


-dk 


m 


Played. 


J- 


$=3: 


m> 


•-— — fs 


nn 


Explain  the  turn  ? 

The  turn  is  the  union  of  the  upper  and  lower  <i/t/»>tj. 
giatura;  it  is  either  direct  or  inverted. 

How  is  the  direct  term  performed  ? 

The    direct    tun/    begins  with  the   tone   or    semitone 
above  the  principal  note  ;  it  is  marked  thus :  sss 

Played. 


How  is  the  turn  to  a  dotted  note  played  ? 
The  note  is  played  first,  and  then  the  turn. 
Written.  Played. 


38 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


How  is  the  inverted  turn  played? 

The   Inverted   turn    begins  with  the  note  below,  and 
ends  on  the  principal  note. 

Written.  Played. 


What  is  indicated  by  a  sharp,  flat,  or  natural  placed  over  or 
under  a  turn  ? 

A  sharp,  flat,  or  natural  placed  over  a  turn  shows  that 
its  highest  note  is  to  be  played  sharp,  flat,  or  natural  us 
the  case  may  be ;  and  if  under,  that  its  lowest  note  is  to 
be  similarly  treated. 

Written.  Played.  Written.  Played. 

It 

How  is  the  trill  marked  and  performed  ? 

The  trill,  marked  by  (tr.)  an  abbreviation  of  the 
Italian  word  trillo,  is  a  quick  and  alternate  repetition 
of  two  notes,  the  principal  note,  and  the  note  above. 

How  many  sorts  of  trills  are  there  ? 

Three ;  the  passing  trill,  the  plain  trill,  and  the 
trill  with  a  turn. 

How  are  these  trills  performed  ? 

1.  The  passing  trill  is  very  short. 


i^^^m 


Written. 


Played. 


A     CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 


2. 
turn. 


Tin 


.liiin  trill   is  longer,   but  is  not   ended  by  a 


IL 


U3 


Written.  Played. 

3.  The    trill  with    «    turn,  which 
duced  at  the  end  of  a  piece,  is  playe 


illy  intro- 


l  thm 


?  *000000 0 0000  ,  ,  i 


Written.  Played. 

How  is  the  mordent  written  and  performed  ? 

The  mordent  (from  Fr.,  mordre,  to  bite),  is  a  very 
short  trill,  generally  consisting  of  three  (but  may  have 
five)  notes  without  a  turn,  and  with  an  accent  on  the 
last.     It  begins  and  ends  on  the  principal  note. 

The  trill  always  occupies  the  full  value  of  the  princi- 
pal note,  whereas  the  last  note  of  the  mordent  is  always 
much  longer  than  the  preceding  notes. 

Written.    Played.  Written.   Played.  Written.    Played. 

*  ^ — . 


40 


A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


SECTION    XV 


EXPRESSION 


What  are  the  principal  means  of  expression  ? 

Strict  attention  to  the  accents,  emphasis,  syncopation, 
and  a  close  observance  of  legato,  staccato,  crescendo  and 
divninuendo. 

1.  Accents 

What  is  meant  by  accent  in  music  '.' 

The  stress  given  to  one  note  in  preference  to  another, 
according  to  its  place  in  the  bar  or  measure. 

Where  are  the  accents  placed  in  common  time  '.' 

In  common  time  of  four  quarter  notes  in  a  bar,  the 
first  and  third  part  of  the  measure  are  accented,  the 
second  and  fourth  parts  unaccented. 


ac.  un.  ac. 


Is  this  order  always  preserved  ? 

ISTo ;  In  slow  movements,  when  (punters  are  divided 
into  eighths,  the  accents  are  more  frequent ;  they  fall 
upon  the  first,  third,  fifth,  and  seventh  eighths ;  the 
second,  fourth,  sixth,  and  eighth  notes  are  unaccented. 


A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  41 

How  are  the  accents  placed  in  ?  ? 

The  first  quarter  is  accented,  and  the  others  unaccented. 

How  are  the  accents  placed  in  compound  common  time,  for 
instance  in  §  ? 

"When  two  dotted  quarters  are  introduced,  both  are 
accented;  but  the  first  is  most  accented  when  six  eighths 
are  used,  the  first  and  fourth  are  accented,  and  the  others 
unaccented. 


ac.    un.  ac, 


How  are  the  accents  placed  in  triple  time  ? 
The  first  part  of  the  bar  is  accented,  the  second  and 
third  parts  unaccented. 


ig^ig-; 


ac.     un.      un.      ac.       tin.   un.      ac.      un.      un. 

In  a  slow  movement,  when  each  bar  consists  of  six 
eighths,  the  first,  third,  and  fifth  eighths  are  accented  : 
the  second,  fourth,  and  sixth  are  unaccented. 

Does  every  piece  of  music  always  begin  with  the  first  part  of 
the  bar  ? 

No;  for  the  sake  of  keeping  the  accents  in  the  proper 
places  a  piece  frequently  begins  with  the  last  part  of 
the  bar ;  then  the  last  bar  of  the  piece  or  strain  must  be 
short  of  that  part. 

(See  examples  i»i  pages  40  and  42.) 


42  A    CATECHISM   OF    MUSIC 

2.    Emphasis 

What  is  meant  by  emphasis  ? 

Emphasis  is  a  deviation  from  the  rules  given  concern- 
ing the  accents  ;  it  takes  place  when  a  note  which  should 
not  be  accented  has  a  stress  given  to  it :  for  instance,  in 
common  time,  the  second  and  fourth  parts  of  the  bar  are 
unaccented  ;  should  a  stress  be  laid  on  one  of  these  parts, 
it  would  be  termed  an  emphasis. 

How  is  the  emphasis  marked  ? 

By  ;t  small  angle  >•  under  or  over  the  note,  also  by  the 
words  sforzando,  sforzato,  or  their  abbreviations  sforz.,sf. 

1  m-4— j-«-F         *  F«-«-«-— P-j^j— t»-F^j-^-H 

3.    Syncopation 
What  is  the  meaning  of  syncopation  ? 

Syncopation  takes  place  when  the  unaccented  part  of  a 

bar  is  joined  with  the  next  accented  part :  this  happens  — 

1.    When  long  notes  are  placed  between  two  other  notes 

of  a  shorter   duration,  as  a  half    note  between   two 

quarter  notes,  or  three  quarters  between  two  eighths. 

OK 


2.  When  two  notes  are  connected  by  a  tie,  either  in  the 
middle  of  a  bar,  or  from  the  last  note  of  a  bar  to  the 
first  of  the  next. 


A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  43 

When  syncopation  takes  place,  how  can  the  pianoforte  player 
keep  time  '.' 

The  treble  and  bass  seldom  syncopate  together;  one 
part  generally  marks  the  time  by  equal  notes.  But 
should  they  go  together,  the  pianist  then  should  count 
while  the  syncopated  note  is  sustained. 

4.      Legato  ami  Staccato 


What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  legato? 

This  Italian  word  signifies  a  smooth  and  connected 
style  of  playing,  blending  the  sound  of  one  note  with 
that  of  the  next. 

I  low  is  this  effected'.' 

By  keeping  each  note  down  until  its  successor  is 
struck. 

How  is  i he  legato  expressed? 

By  curved  lines  placed  over  the  notes,  these  curved 
lines  arc  termed  slurs. 


z^mm^migm 


What  do  small  dashes  placed  over  notes  signify? 

That  the  notes  are  to  be  played  short  and  distinct, 
lifting  the  ringer  from  the  key  when  one  fourth  of  th« 
length  of  the  note  has  expired. 


44  A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 


Written. 

Played. 

:fe-P • S—j- 

FF^~ 

-g-a-1  ^qi  /qi. 

-V  * 

£                         J 

How  is  that  style  of  playing  denominated? 

It  is  called  staccato,  and  produces  a  fine  effect  when 
properly  contrasted  with  the  legato  style. 

When  round  dots  are  placed  over  the  notes,  are  they  played  in 
the  same  style  ? 

The  notes  must  not  be   played  quite  so  short :  they 
should  have  one  half  of  their  usual  length. 
Written.  Played. 


•=<=£|»^ErEB^E^Egi 


What  is  meant  when  a  slur  is  placed  over  a  succession  of  dots  \ 
That  the  finger  should  be  kept  down  still  longer,  — 
the  notes  having  three  fourths  of  their  usual  length. 
Written.  Played. 


i 


~T*  IS  ~1 


5.    Modification  of  Sounds 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  piano,  or  its  abbreviation  pia. 
or  p.,  placed  under  or  over  some  notes  ? 

This  Italian  word  signifies  that  the  notes  must  be 
played  in  a  soft  and  delicate  manner. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  pianissimo,  oftentimes  abbreviated  pp.  ? 

This  word  is  the  superlative  of  piano,  and  denotes 
the  utmost  degree  of  softness  in  playing. 


A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


45 


What  is  the  meaning  of  forte,  mostly  abbreviated/? 
It  indicates  that  the  notes  must  be  played  in  a  loud 
and  forcible  manner. 

What  signifies  mezzo  forte,  or  its  abbreviation  mf? 

it  indicates  the  medium  between  forte  and  piano 

What  signifies  fortissimo,  or  its  abbreviation.^'? 

This  word  — the  superlative  of  /—shows  that  the 
greatest  degree  of  force  and  pressure  of  the  fingers  must 
be  used;  avoiding,  however,  any  roughness. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  crescendo,  or  its  abbreviation 
cresc.  f 

It  signifies  that  the  sound  must  be  gradually  increased 
from  soft  to  loud;  this  is  sometimes  expressed  by  an 
acute  angle  pointing  to  the  left  -==:. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  diminuendo,  or  its  abbrevia- 
tion dim.  f 

It  signifies  that  the  sound  must  be  gradually  dimin- 
ished from  loud  to  soft :  it  is  sometimes  expressed  by  an 
acute  angle  pointing  to  the  right  hand  ==— . 

When  these  two  angles  are  opposite  each  other,  thus  -=  :==-, 
what  does  it  imply  ? 

That  the  sounds  must  be  gradually  increased  from 
soft  to  loud,  and  afterwards  gradually  diminished  from 
loud  to  soft. 

^V*  "  — —  //  ==—  p* 


4b"  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


6.    Other  Marks  of  Expression 

What,  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  tremando  written  over  .some 
chords  ? 

This  Italian  word  indicates  that  the  chords  must  be 
divided  into  two  parts,  and  played  with  rapidity  like 
a  trill. 

Tremando. 

^^        ^  ^r  hmtmmmm  tmm^mm  hmU 

Written.  Hayed. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  Italian  word  arpeggio  f 
It  signifies  that  the  notes  of  a  chord  must  be  played 
in  rapid  succession  from  the  hwest  to  the  highest, 
instead  of  striking  them  all  at  once.  This  is  sometimes 
expressed  by  a  waved  line  placed  by  the  side  of  the 
chord. 

-0.—4-   -i 1 — ,--       -I--— -— I 1 — . 

Written.  Played. 

What  signifies  the  word  pedal,  or  its  abbreviation  j>«i.  written 
under  a  passage  ? 

It  shows  that  the  loud  or  right  hand  pedal  must  be 
pressed  with  the  foot,  to  raise  the  dampers  and  let  the 
vibration  of  the  strings  continue.  A  star  (*)  is  usually 
placed  when  it  is  to  be  discontinued. 

In  what  passages  is  the  loud  pedal  introduced  ? 

Chiefly  in  slow  passages  in  which  the  same  harmony 


A    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  47 

is  continued;  when  the  chords  are  changed,  the  pedal 
must  be  dropped. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  words  una  corda  under  a  passage  ? 

They  indicate  the  use  of  the  soft  pedal  —  that  to  the 
left  —  which  is  raised  again  at  the  words  tre  corde. 

What  is  the  tie  ' 

The  tie  is  a  curved  line  placed  over  two  notes  on  the 
same  line  or  space  of  the  staff. 

What  is  the  effect  of  the  tie  f 

The  first  note  only  must  be  struck,  and  kept  down 
the  whole  length  of  the  two. 


fc£E£ 


.  '  P  t+i 


ffTt^^ 


What  is  a  hold  ? 

A  hold,  marked  thus  nsi  or  thus^,  signifies  that  the 
note  or  rest  over  or  under  which  if  is  placed  is  to  he 
prolonged  beyond  its  ordinary  value. 


When  the  hold  is  over  the  double  bar.  what  is  its  signification  ? 
When   placed   over    the  double   b>r.    the   hold   shows 
the  end  of  a  strain 


48  A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 

SECTION   XVI 

CHARACTERS   IN  COMMON   USE 

What  is  the  use  of  single  lines  drawn  across  the  staff  ? 
These  small  lines  are  called  bars,  and  serve  to  divide 
a  piece  of  music  into  equal  portions,  termed  measures. 
1st  strain.  2d  strain. 


BH 


What  is  the  use  of  the  double  bar  ? 

It  serves  to  divide  a  piece  of  music  into  two,  three, 
or  more  parts,  called  strains.  When  dots  are  placed 
on  both  sides  of  the  double  bar,  both  parts  are  to  be 
repeated ;  when  the  dots  are  only  on  one  side  of  the 
double  bar,  the  part  on  the  same  side  ,as  the  dots  is  to 
be  repeated. 

What  is  the  use  of  the  brace  ?  -i 

It  serves  in  pianoforte  music  to  connect  the  two 
staves,  the  upper  of  which  is  for  the  right  hand,  and 
the  lower  for  the  left  hand. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  words  da  capo,  or  their  abbrevia- 
tion D.  C.  ? 

,The}r  signify  that  the  performer  must  play  over  again 
the  first  part  of  a  piece  from  the  beginning  to  the  double 
bar. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


49 


What  is  the  meaning  of  the  words  dal  segno  ? 

These  words  refer  to  a  preceding  mark  of  repeat,  and 
indicate  that  part  of  the  piece  must  be  repeated  from  the 
sign  ^J,  to  the  double  bar. 

What  is  the  use  of  the  figures  1  and  2  placed  over  some  notes 
at  a  double  bar  ? 

They  signify  that  a  part  of  the  piece  must  be  played 
twice  over ;  and  that,  in  playing  it  the  second  time,  the 
performer  must  omit  the  measure  or  measures  marked 
1,  and  instead  play  those  marked  2. 


What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  ottava,  generally  abbreviated 
8va.  followed  by  dots  ? 

This  Italian  word  signifies  that  the  notes,  over  or 
under  which  it  is  placed,  are  to  be  played,  respectively, 
an  octave  higher  or  lower. 


Written. 


8va.... 


-•-*- 


Played. 


•-  -#- 


3&33EB3E1 


rrr-rrVf-m 


8va. 


Written. 


is 


Played. 


^=^r^=j 


50  A  CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  loco  ? 

It  is  generally  used  after  the  word  ottava,  and  sig- 
nifies that  the  music  must  be  played  as  written.  The 
word  loco,  however,  is  rarely  used  in  modern  music,  the 
termination  of  the  dots  serving  the  same  purpose. 

What  signify  the  letters  R.  H.  or  M.  D.  under  some  notes  in 
the  bass  part  ? 

They  signify  that  these  notes  are  to  be  played  with 
the  right  hand  —  main  droit,  crossing  over  the  left  hand. 

What  signify  the  letters  L.  H.  or  M.  G.  placed  over  notes  on  the 
treble  staff  ? 

That  these  notes  must  be  played  in  the  treble  with  the 
left  hand  —  main  gauche,  crossing  over  the  right  hand.* 


SECTION    XVII 

ABBREVIATIONS   AND   LICENSES 

What  is  the  meaning  of  a  heavy  stroke  over  or  under  a  whole 
note,  or  through  the  stem  of  a  half  or  quarter  note  ? 

It  signifies  that  the  note  is  to  be  divided  into  eighths. 

Written. 


m 


Played. 

-0—0—0  —  0  —  0—0—0 0-\-0—0—0—0 0  -0—0—0— 


*  Italian,  M.  1).  muno  dritta,  right  band  ;  M.  S.  mano  sinistra,  L.  H. 


A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  51 

What  is  the  meaning  of  a  double  or  treble  stroke  through  the 
stem  of  a  half  or  quarter  note  ? 

It  signifies  that  the  half  or  quarter  note  is  to  be 
divided  into  sixteenths,  or  thirty-seconds. 

Written.  Played. 

|— X^i"»-P**^"g:Tg'gJjr*'*''*'*  •-•"•"*  •-•-•;•-  •-•:•-•!] 


What  is  the  meaning  of  a  stroke  after  a  group  <>f  notes  ? 
It  signifies  that  the  group  is  to  be  repeated. 


What  is  the  meaning  of  the  figure  3  placed  over  or  under  three 
quarter,  eighth,  or  sixteenth  notes  ? 

It  signifies  that  the  three  quarter,  eighth  or  sixteenth 
notes,  must  be  played  in  the  time  of  two ;  each  group  is 
termed  a  triplet. 


.4  *  1  4    i    *  t* 


52  A   CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  figure  6  placed  over  or  under  six, 
eighths,  or  sixteenths  ? 

It  signifies  that  the  six  eighths  or  sixteenths  must  be 
played  in  the  time  of  four  of  the  same  species.* 


93B=f 


fch==F 


Is  the  same  rule  observed  with  respect  to  other  figures,  as  5,  7, 
9,  etc.  ? 

Yes ;  five  eighths  are  played  as  four,  seven  as  six,  and 
nine  as  eight,  of  the  same  species. 


SECTION   XVIII 
POSITION   AT   THE    PIANOFORTE 

What  is  the  proper  position  of  the  body  and  arms  at  the  piano- 
forte ? 

The  performer's  position,  being  seated  opposite  the 
centre  of  the  keyboard,  must  be  erect,  without  the 
appearance  of  constraint ;  the  arms,  from  the  elbows 
upwards,  must  be  a  little  advanced,  and  close  to  the 
body,  except  when  the  right  hand  plays  on  the  upper 
part,  or  the  left  hand  on  the  lower  part  of  the  instru- 
ment ;  in  which  case,  the  arms  are  necessarily  a  little 

•  The  figures  3  or  6  are  often  omitted  ;  then  the  manner  of  grouping  the 
notes  indicates  the  mode  of  playing  them. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  53 

extended;  the  shoulders  must  never  be  raised;  therefore 
the  seat  of  the  performer  must  be  so  adjusted  as  not  to 
require  their  elevation. 

What  is  the  proper  position  of  the  hands  and  lingers  on  the 
keyboard  ? 

The  hands  must  be  a  little  above  the  keys,  and  turned 
slightly  outward,  so  its  to  prevent  the  thumb  from  being 
withdrawn  from  the  keys.  The  fingers  must  be  some- 
what bent ;  each  ringer  must  be  over  the  centre  of  its 
respective  key;  in  pressing  down  a  key  with  the  ringer, 
the  other  must  not  move,  and  the  finger  which  has 
struck  a  key  must  be  kept  down  until  the  next  note  is 
played,  when  it  must  be  raised.  When  rests  occur,  the 
hands  must  be  raised  from  the  kevs. 


SECTION   XIX 
FINGERING 

What  is  understood  by  fingering  ? 

A  proper  disposition  of  the  fingers  in  playing  a  piece 
of  music  on  the  pianoforte.  The  hands  should  be  kept 
as  much  as  possible  over  five  keys,  so  that  each  finger 
may  cover  its  respective  key,  and  the  motion  be  scarcely 
perceived. 

How  is  the  fingering  expressed  ? 

The  thumb  and  four  fingers  are  marked  by  the  figures 
1,  2,  3,  4,  5. 


54 


A    CATECHISM    OP"    MUSIC 


When  a  diatonic  succession  extends  beyond  five  notes,  how  is 
it  played  ? 

By  passing  the  thumb  under  the  long  lingers  in  as- 
cending, and  these  over  the  thumb  in  descending. 

Under  which  linger  is  the  thumb  to  be  passed  in  ascending  ".' 

In  ascending,  the  thumb  of  the  right  hand  may  pass 
under  the  2d,  3d,  or  4th  hnger,  but  not  under  the  little 
finger. 


L       21        -   •  ~f-     12  3  1-   •    P 


m 


g^ 


?•■*-■ 


K 


In  descending,  the  2d,  3d,  or  4th  finger  may  he  passed 
over  the  thumb,  but  not  the  5th  finger. 


:p££*i 


±i=!*»!=L?=h 


o  e 


IPi=§ii§ 


Is  it  allowable  to  pass  one  of  the  lingers  over  another  ? 

No;  for,  besides  being  awkward,  it  would  prevent  the 
tones  blending. 

Is  it  allowable  to  play  two  or  three  consecutive  notes  with  the 
same  linger  ? 

No;  unless  a  rest  intervenes,  every  note  should  be 
played  with  a  different  finger. 

Which  are  the  principal  means  of  facilitating  the  execution  of 

rapid  passages ? 

First,  by  changing  fingers  when  a  note  is  repeated  : 

13                 3  -ir'~»- '  s  ,     „  ,   8 
n     8  2-1-5    T  3  1  miz    :r    ■  m  I    3  J  j*3    


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


:>;, 


^432          132          432            m     m     0     3      i      m     3    2 

foqqtjEjt^  ££££  fcH=^&dg£ 

Secondly,  by  making  use  of  contractions  : 

2 


^jg^Ute 


Thirdly,  b}"  extensions. 


Which  is  the  proper  fingering  of  the  scales  ? 

In  the  key  of  C,  and  in  keys  with  sharps  in  the  signa- 
ture, viz.,  G,  D,  A,  E,  and  B  (major  and  minor),  the 
thumb  of  the  right  hand  is  placed  on  the  first  note  of 
the  scale,  and  on  the  fourth  degree,  in  ascending  and 
descending. 


S 


£fc 


fel* 


^=pn 


Pt 


The   key   of   F$  is   an   exception   to  this  rule ;  it  is 
fingered  in  the  following  manner  • 


56  A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

What  is  the  lingering  of  the  keys  with  flats  in  the  signature  ? 

In  the  major  keys  of  F,  Bb,  Eb,  Ab,  and  Db,  the  thumb 
of  the  right  hand  must  be  placed  on  C  and  F  in  ascend- 
ing and  descending. 

How  are  the  scales  fingered  with  the  left  hand  ? 

In  C,  and  in  keys  with  sharps,  the  thumb  must  be 
placed  on  the  1st  and  5th  degrees  in  the  descending  and 
ascending,  in  major  and  minor. 

i        i        r      i        i 

The  key  of  B  and  Ffl  form  exceptions  to  this  rule  ;  the 
thumb  is  placed  on  the  fourth  note  in  ascending,  or  fifth 
note  in  descending. 

B  Major.  F$  Major. 


■  13      2     1 


How  are  the  scales  with  flats  fingered  with  the  left  hand  ? 

In  major  keys  with  flats,  as  Bb,  Eb,  Ab,  and  Db,  the 
thumb  of  the  left  hand  must  be  on  the  third  and  seventh 
degrees  of  the  scale  in  ascending  and  descending 
Bb  Major.  E|?  Major. 

twJJrrrrriAt=fTTi^ 

314  12  3  14  12 

The  scale  of  F,  major  and  minor,  is,  however,  an 
exception  to  this  rule ;  it  is  fingered  with  the  thumb  on 
the  first  and  fifth  degrees. 


A  CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  57 


•  1321  12312  * 


How  are  the  minor  scales  with  rials  lingered  with  the  left  hand  ? 

The  minor  scales  of  Bb,  Eb,  Ab,  and  Db,  are  not 
fingered  as  the  major  scales  of  the  same  name :  the 
thumb  of  the  left  hand  is  placed  on  F  and  C,  in  descend- 
ing and  ascending. 

Bb  Minor.  Eb  Minor. 

23412312  2312  •-•- 

What  is  the  best  mode  of  fingering  the  chromatic  scale  ? 

Third  finger  on  all  the  black  keys  ;  second  finger  on  F 
and  ( !  in  the  right,  and  on  E  and  B  in  the  left  hand ; 
thumb  on  all  the  other  white  keys. 

Right  Hand. 


iliggapJiFfef^^P 


3 

Left  Hand. 


Note. —  Daily  exercises  on  all  the  scales  are  strongly  recom- 
mended to  students. 


58 


A    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 


SECTION   XX 


TRANSPOSITION 


What  is  meant  by  transposition  f 

Changing  the  key  of  a  composition. 

The  following  example,  in  the  first  instance  in  A 
minor,  is  transposed  to  the  keys  of  B  and  G  minor 
respectively. 

Original  Key,  A  Minor 


fcHE^Hf 


'■I 


3=3=  =S» 


Z^±3i 


?0-%m-?-* 


f£?^t=t3t 


gfS 


Transposed  a  whole  tone  higher,  to  1!  Minor 


w 


£ttt 


-£Sr 


t=-#=^ 


ffii^S 


Transposed  a  whole  tone  loioer,  to  G  Minor 


t^a-fr- 


m£^wffi$ff\r 


What  is  necessary  to  a  student  to  be  conversant  with  trans- 
position ? 

Acquaintance  with  all  clefs  and  keys. 

Is  there  any  other  clef  besides  the  two  explained  on  pages  2 
and  5  ? 

Yes ;  a  third  clef,  called  the  C  clef,  is  used  in  vocal 
music  and  m  scores. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  59 

On  what  line  of  the  staff  is  it  placed  ? 

It  may  be  placed  upon  the  first,  second,  third,  or 
fourth  lines  of  the  staff;  and,  according  to  its  situation, 
indicates  a  different  part. 

When  placed  on  the  first  line,  what  is  it  called  ? 

The  canto  or  soprano  clef.  This  part  is  sung  by 
female  voices  of   high  compass. 


('     I)      E     F     G     A      B     C     D     E 

When  placed  on  the  second  Hue,  what  is  it  called  '.' 

The  mezzo  soprano  clef,  a  part  sung  by  female  voices 

of  a  medium  compass;  this   clef  is  not  used  in  modern 

music. 

When  placed  on  the  third  line,  what  is  the  C  clef  called  ? 
The  alto  or  counter  tenor  clef.     This  part  is  sung  by 

female  voices  of  very  low  pitch,  or   by  male  voices  of 

high  compass. 

C     D     E      F     G    A     G      F     E     D     C     15     A 

This  clef  is  also  used  for  the  viola  or  tenor-violin. 
When  placed  on  the  fourth  line,  what  is  the  C  clef  called  ? 
The  tenor  clef.     This  part  is  sung  by  male  voices. 


:f=F 

CDEFGFEDCBAGFE 


60  A   CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC 

Are  the  names  of  the  notes  on  the  lines  and  spaces  the  same 
in  every  clef  ? 

No;  when  the  position  of  the  clef  is  changed,  the 
names  of  the  notes  are  also  changed,  as  may  be  seen  by 
the  foregoing  examples 

How  do  yon  transpose  from  the  soprano  clef  to  the  treble? 
By  reading  and  playing  every  note  a  third  lower. 

C    1)    E    F    G    A  Read  and  played. 


^i^^lfifpfc^l 


Written. 
How  do  you  transpose  from  the  alto  to  the  treble  clef  ? 
By  reading  every  note  a  degree  higher  and  playing 
the  notes  an  octave  lower. 


m 


C    D    E    F    G    A  Read. 


g-g-rf-r 


?eee^ 


«: 


Written.  Played. 

How  do  you  transpose  from  the  tenor  to  the  bass  clef  ? 
By  reading  the  notes  four  degrees  lower,  and  playing 
them  an  octave  higher. 

C    D    E    F    E    I)        Played  an  octave  higher. 


ta=i=r^r=T=r*-r-|cvf=4 


T=t 


s 


;li^=^E^I 


Written.  Read. 


A    CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC 


(31 


Can  you  transpose  from  one  key  to  another  by  means  of  the 
different  clefs  ? 

Yes ;  the  following  example  shows  that  the  same 
spaces  and  lines  on  the  staff  may  be  made  to  represent 
so  many  different  keys  by  changing  the  clefs. 


America,    in    the    Key    of    G 

w=if  r  if  •  *  i 


3=pz_f 


a^f-H 


F=p: 


Transposed  into  the  key  of  D  by  the  use  of  the  alto 
clef: 


Mr  rTlrm 


t=t=E 


m^\ 


Transposed  into  the  key  of  B  by  the  use  of  the  tenor 
clef: 


jfeRmpgjfcrfrrrl 


Transposed  into  the  key  of  A  by  the  use  of  the  soprano 
clef: 


feife=E 


S 


£5^ 


^=t 


Transposed  into  the  key  of  E  by  the  use  of  the  6as* 
clef: 


&§tei; 


4=t 


^P 


62  A    CATECHISM    <>F    MUSIC 

The  student,  who  by  constant  application  has  made 
himself  master  of  the  various  points  explained  in  this 
Catechism,  should  not  rest  satisfied  with  this  first  step ; 
but  by  unremitting  attention,  endeavor  to  advance  still 
further  in  the  science.  Music  requires  much  study  and 
practice  before  great  proficiency  can  be  obtained ;  and — ■ 

"  Those  who  think  they  have  done  much,  see  but  little  to 
do." — Dr.  Johnson. 


ADDENDUM 


SECTION   I 

THE   KEYBOARD  AND   INTERVALS 

How  are  the  various  octaves  011  the  pianoforte  named  ? 
The  deepest  tones  on  the  pianoforte,  beginning  at  c} 
up  to  the  next  c,  are  called  the 

Countertones  ; 
the  next  octave  is  called  the 

Great  Octave  ; 

then  follows  the 

Small  Octave  ; 

after  which  follows  the 

One  Line  Octave,  Two,  Three,  Four  Line  Octave; 

Higher  octaves  require  additional  lines. 

Arc  the  deepest  notes  the  .same  on  all  instruments  ? 

No ;  the  deepest  string  on  the  Violoncello  gives  c  in 
the  great  octave,  or  the  great  C.  The  deepest  string  on 
the  tenor  is  the  ;  in  the  small  octave,  or  the  small  c, 
and  the  deepest  string  on  the  violin,  the  small  g,  and  so 
forth. 

63 


64  A    CATECHISM    OP   MUSIC 

How  can  we  signify  a  Key  in  writing  ? 

In  writing,  great  Roman  characters  are  used  for  the 
great  octave,  and  small  for  the  small  octave  —  small 
with  one  line  above  or  below  for  the  one  lined  octave  — 
small  with  two  lines  above  or  below  for  the  two  lined 
octave,  etc.  The  whole  succession  of  names  of  tones 
from  the  Counter  B,  is  therefore  as  follows : 

Counter  B,  —  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  A,  B,  —  c,  d,  e,  f ,  g,  a,  b, 
—  c,  d,  e,  f,  g,  a,  b,  —  c,  d,  e,  etc. 

How  is  the  key-board  divided  ? 

The  counter-tones,  the  great  and  small  octaves,  and  at 
all  events  a  part  of  the  one  lined  octave,  are  compre- 
hended under  the  name  of  the 

Bass, 

or  bass  tones.  The  higher  octaves,  with  the  whole  of 
the  one-lined  octaves,  and  the  higher  tones  of  the  small 
octave,  are  included  under  the  name  of 

Treble, 

or  treble  tones.  The  exact  boundary  would  therefore  be 
the  one  lined  C,  but  it  is  allowable  not  to  adhere  rigidly 
to  that  limitation.  The  whole  distribution  is  but  super- 
ficial for  the  sake  of  despatch  when  no  precise  object  is 
in  question. 

By  what  names  can  we  most  surely  fix  these  keys  and  their 
notation  in  our  memory  ? 

This  is  not  to  be  obtained  by  learning  by  rote,  nor  by 
the  note  table  introduced  by  some  professors ;  but  by  a 


A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  65 

clear  insight  into  the  notation  and  its  agreement  or  coin- 
cidence  with  the  tonal  system.  It  must  be  felt  that  the 
scale  of  notes  is  the  true  image  of  the  scale  of  sounds,  this 
latter  being  the  scale  properly  so  called  —  that  the  notes 
ascend  and  descend  by  degrees  on  the  lines  and  spaces, 
in  like  manner  as  do  the  tones  in  the  scale.  Now,  the 
first  exercise  is  to  fix  any  tone  or  clef  —  for  example, 
the  G  clef  (the  one  lined  g  on  the  second  line)  —  and 
from  that  point  to  write  and  name,  upward  and  down- 
ward, the  following  gradation  of  notes,  viz. : 


jr,        a,       b,       c,      d,       g,       f,       e,      d,       c,  etc. 

Now  let  it  be  observed,  that  from  line  to  line  and  space 
to  space,  a  third  tone  is  noted ;  and  let  this  succession  of 
notes  be  written  \ipward  and  downward  as  follows : 


<^ 


g,  b,   d,  etc. 

It  will  be  observed  also  that  upon  every  third  line  and 
every  third  space,  a  fifth  tone  is  noted,  viz. : 
±       •- 


«-tr— •—  » — — 

e,        b,       f,       c,  etc. 

Then  inake  a  combination  of  all  these  enumerated,  first 
one  and  then  the  other,  thus : 


A   CATECHISM   OP   MUSIC 


g: 


i 


■  * » "• 


Lastly,  take  a  good  musical  composition,  and  read 
aloud  all  the  notes  from  it,  and  if  a  note  should  not  be 
immediately  recognized,  its  name  can  be  soon  discovered 
by  ascending  or  descending,  degree  by  degree,  to  its  next 
neighboring  note. 

What  is  meant  by  a  degree  in  music  ? 

The  place  occupied  by  a  tone  in  the  scale. 


m 


-9 — » — — ■ — 

1  degree,  2d,    3d,    4  d,   5  d,    6  d,    7  d,    8  d,    9  d,    10  d. 
How  are  these  degrees  named  ? 


1. 

Degree  or  tonic. 

2. 

Degree  or  super-tonic. 

3. 

Degree  or  mediant. 

4. 

Degree  or  sub-dominant 

5. 

Degree  or  dominant. 

C). 

Degree  or  sub-mediant. 

7. 

Degree  or  leading  tone  (sub-tonic). 

A    CATECHISM   OF   MUSfC 


67 


The  Latin  numerals  are  also  used,  as . 

1st  or  Prima.  8th  or  Octave. 


2d 

Secunda. 

9th 

Nona. 

3d 

Tertia. 

10th 

Decima. 

4th 

Quartia. 

11th 

Undecima. 

5th 

Quinta. 

12th 

1  hiodecima. 

6th 

Sexta. 

13th 

I  tecimatertia. 

7th 

Septima. 

14th 

Decimaquartia. 

Are  the  degrees  always  counted  upwards  ? 

Usually ;  but  if  we  wish  to  designate  the  contrary  we 
say  Under  terza  or  mediant,  or  third  below;  Under  quinta 
or  dominant,  or  fifth  below,  etc. 

What  is  an  interval  ? 

An  interval  is  the  difference  in  pitch  between  two 
tones.  It  must  be  remembered  that  all  intervals  are 
called  according  to  the  degrees  of  the  staff,  or  according 
to  the  numbers  of  letters  they  are  distant  from  each 
other. 

For  instance,  Fig.  1  is  a  Second ;  Fig.  2  a  Sharp 
Second ;  but  if  the  same  keys  are  struck,  and  called 
(Fig.  3),  the  interval  is  that  called  a  third  : 


Are  intervals  to  be  reckoned  downwards  ? 
Always  upwards  fvoxt\  the  note  named,  unless  the  con- 
trary be  expressed. 


68 


A    CATECHISM    OP    MUSIC 


What  is  a  tone  ? 

It  consists  of  two  semitones.  The  interval  between 
F  and  F  sharp  is  one  semitone,  and  between  F  sharp 
and  G  is  another.     For  example, 

i 3 


i 


P 


consequently  the  interval  between  F  and  <  J  is  a  whole 
tone. 

What  is  a  minor  or  lesser  third  ? 

A  minor  third  (sometimes  improperly  called  a  Hat- 
third)  is  three  semitones  from  the  note  named.  For 
example,  the  Minor  Third  of  A  must  be  reckoned  thus  : 
from  A  to  A  sharp  one  semitone,  to  B  two,  to  C  thrm. 

n  12  3 


►=s=ft* 


How  many  semitones  is  a  Major  or  Greater  Third  from  the  nol 
named  ? 

Four;  (this  interval  is  sometimes  improperly  called 
sharp  third). 

1  3  3  4 


> 


-P= 


As  the  semitone  above  C  may  be  called  either  C  sharp  or  D 
flat,  is  it  immaterial  in  reckoning  the  Major  Third  of  A  whether 
you  say  C  sharp  or  D  flat  ? 

No;  the  Major  Third  of  A  must  be  called  C  sharp. 
For  example:  A,  B,  C,  is  a  third;  and  A,  B,  C,  D,  is  a 
fourth. 


A    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  69 

Name,  write,  or  play  Minor  and  Major  Thirds  to  A,  B,  C,  D, 
E,  F,  G  ;  to  A#,  B#,  cjf,  D#,  E#,  F#,  G#;  to  Afc  Hi?.  Cl7,  l>b.  Kb, 
Ft?,  Gi?. 

How  many  semitones  is  a  perfect  fifth  from  the  note  named  '.' 

Seven ; 


g^HsSH^ 


but  the  easiest  way  is  to  remember,  that  even  note 
excepting  one  has  a  fifth,  either  sharp,  flat,  or  natural, 
like  itself.  For  example,  the  fifth  of  C  is  G,  the  fifth 
of  C  sharp  is  G  sharp,  the  fifth  of  C  flat  is  G  flat, 

What  note  has  a  fifth  unlike  itself  ? 

B  ;  the  fifth  of  which  must  be  raised  a  semitone  to 
make  it  perfect.  For  example,  the  fifth  of  B  is  F  sharp, 
the  fifth  of  B  sharp  is  F  double  sharp,  the  fifth  of  B  flat 
is  F. 

Name  or  write  fifths  to  all  the  notes,  beginning  with  F  and  pro- 
ceeding always  a  fifth  higher  ? 

K.  C,  G,  T),  A,  E,  B,  FS.  C#,  D#,  A#,  E#,  Bt,  Kx.  Cx, 
etc. 

Name  fifths  to  fiats  now  commencing  with  F  flat. 

FI>,  O,  Gi>,  Df>,  Ab,EI>,  B>,  \%  etc. 

By  way  of  exercise,  now  name  the  fifths  below,  and  observe 
that  in  reckoning  downwards  every  note  has  a  fifth  like  itself 
excepting  F,  the  fifth  below  which  must  be  lowered  a  semitone  ; 
for  example,  the  fifth  below  F  flat  is  B  double  Hal.  the  fifth  below 
F  sharp  is  B. 

B,  E,  A,  D,  G,  C,  F.  Bb,Eb,At>,  1>',G  >.C  \K  •.  Bbb,  etc. 


70  A    CATECHISM   OF    MUSIC 

Nauie  the  fifths  below  to  the  sharps,  commencing  with  B  sharp. 

B#,  m,  A3,  m,  G#,  C#,  F#,  Bjj|,  etc. 

Name  again  the  two  letters  which  have  fifths  not  sharp,  fiat, 
or  natural,  like  themselves. 

I!,  in  reckoning  fifths  upward,  and  F,  in  fifths  down- 
ward. 

What  is  the  leading  note  ? 

The  leading  note  is  the  sharp  Seventh  of  the  scale  ;  it 
is  eleven  semitones  from  the  note  named ;  but  the 
easiest  way  is  to  reckon  it  one  semitone  below  the 
octave  : 


| 


fe^^ 


-±       5       6       7       8        910J1 

As  you  say  sharp  Seventh,  is  the  leading  note  always  a  sharp  ? 

No  ;  for  example,  the  leading  note  of  F  is  E  natural, 
the  leading  note  of  A  is  G  sharp,  and  the  leading  note 
of  C  flat  is  F>  flat. 

As  the  leading  note  is  one  semitone  below  the  octave,  is  it 
immaterial  whether  the  leading  note  A  be  called  G  sharp  or  A 
flat? 

No;  for  although  A  flat  is  a  semitone  below  the 
octave,  it  is  the  eighth  letter  or  degree,  and  the  leading 
note  must  be  the  seventh. 

Name  or  write  the  leading  note  of  A:  of  B,  (',  1),  E,  F,  G  ; 
of  A#,  B#,  C#,  D#,  E#,  F#,  G#  ;  Ab,  Bb,  Cb,  Db,  Eb,  Fb,  Gb. 

Name  or  write  Minor  Thirds,  Major  Thirds,  Fifths,  and  lead- 
ing notes  to  A,  B,  CD,  E,  F,  G  ;  Aft  B#,  C#,  D#,  E#,  F#,  G#  ; 
Ab,  Bb,  Cb,  Db,  Kb,  Fb,  Gb. 


A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


Tl 


Name  or  write  Minor  Thirds,  Major  Thirds,  Fifths,  and  leadim 
notes  to  Ab,  B#,  C,  Db,  Eft,  F,  Gb  ;  Aft,  15,  Cb,  Dft,  E,  Fb,  (J= 
A,  Bb,  C#,  D,  Eb,  F#,  G. 


SECTION  II 
ACCENT  AND    SYNCOPATION 
What  is  syncopation  ? 

First:  an  obliteration  of  the  accented  notes,  bj  bind- 
ing them  together  with  the  unaccented,  and  in  .such  a, 
manner  that  the  unaccented  note  alone  is  struck,  •■. ; til- 
out  the  accent  falling  on  it.  Such  a  syncopation  may 
occur  in  all  kinds  of  notes,  parts,  and  members  of  bai  . 
Syncopation  with  parts  of  bars  : 

of  Syncopation 


P    * 


:t=t 


n    » 


:p=q=£ 


SE 


Instead  of 


Syncopation 


^PPt 


Syncopation  with  members  of  bars  : 

Instead  of  Syncopation 


5B! 


=3^ 


Instead  of 


Syncopation 


72 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


Secondly :    placing   the   accent   on    notes    that    were 
originally  unaccented  : 


I 


e^ 


:t=1 


m 


I"  e  r_^j^i 


*/        s/       «/        s/ 
Thirdly :   when,  in  simple  or  compound  triple   time, 
the  second  and  third  beats  in  the  bar  (unaccented  notes) 
are  united  in  one,  and  an  extra  stress  is  thus  laid  on  the 
second  beat : 


3 


-f2 


Hut  does  the  third  example  really  merit  the  title  of  .synco- 
pation ? 

In  the  .strictest  sense  it  does  not;  although  resembling 
syncopation  it  does  not  obliterate  any  former  real 
accent.  This  resemblance  may  be  in  part  removed  by 
playing  t  he  hist  beat  in  the  bar  forte: 


§!=£=! 


/  p    /  p 

On  the  other  hand  it  may  be  increased  by  strengthen- 
ing the  second  note : 


B±=t=t- 


p       sf 


A    CATECHISM   OP   MUSIC 


73 


By  this  means  we  may  produce  a  kind  of  syncopation 
in  common  time,  thus  : 


i^^l 


t=t 


pfp/p/pf 

By  these  various  means  we  may  alter  the  feeling  of 
accent,  but  not  that  of  measure.  But  there  are  also 
kinds  of  syncopation  in  which  the  time  appears  so 
altered  that  we  fancy  a  new  kind  is  suddenly  intro- 
duced ; 


IJ /■^~^k\ 

b#4-tr-ttr-t_ 

=t   tj=t 

— \t 

N 

Here   for  instance,    it   sounds   as   though    the    ^  bar 
was  changed  into  one  of  9  —  4 
What  is  an  initial  imperfect  bar  ? 
The  imperfect  bar  that  commences  a  piece: 


=1=4 


e^ll=qi=j-^=5fe^^| 


^^^^E£j-  !  ?    I 


What  is  wanting  in  the  first  bar  must  be  given  in 
the  last,  and  what  the  first  has  must  be  deducted  from 
the  last  bar  in  a  part,  so  that  the  two  portions  may  form 
one  perfect  bar,  thus  : 


mim 


74 


A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 


SECTION   III 
ADDITIONAL  EMBELLISHMENTS 

What  is  a  double  trill  ? 

A  trill  on  two  notes  at  once. 


What  is  a  chain  of  trills  ? 

A  succession  of  trills  on  several  successive  notes. 

tr     tr 


tf^^mm 


:-rr-rr-rr-w=i 


s 


m 


m 


tr      tr 


S 


If  the  trill  commences  with  the  principal  note  as 
at  1,  the  turn  after  each  note  is  effective;  if  the  trill 
begins  from  the  note  above,  a  turn  may  be  made  after 
each  one.  Imt  it  is  better  not  to  introduce  the  turn  until 
the  last,  as  at  2. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 


75 


Whal  is  the  usual  term  for  these  groups  of  notes? 

They  are  termed  grace  notes. 

Why  are  they  not  written  exactly  as  they  ate  to  be  played  ? 

]  iccaiise  too  many  notes  and  too  much  space  would  be 
required;  this  is  avoided  by  the  sign  of  abbreviation. 
This  is  especially  the  case  with  the  trill;  but  where 
the  signs  require  as  much  time  to  write  down  as  would 
the  notes  themselves,  it  is  better  to  write  the  latter  at 
once.  This  has  not  become  generally  customary,  although 
our  modern  composers  begin  to  choose  the  latter-men- 
tioned manner  of  writing. 


SECTION  IV 
ORDINARY   FORMS   OF   COMPOSITION 

What  is  a  sonata  ? 

A  composition  for  an  instrument  of  three  or  four 
movements,  each  differing  in  character,  yet  bearing  a 
general  resemblance  to  each  other.  The  first  movement 
is  usually  an  allegro.  Sometimes  this  is  preceded  by  an 
introduction  (adagio  or  andante).  The  second  movement 
becomes  an  adagio,  andante,  or  theme  Avith  variations, 
and  so  on.  The  third  movement  is  a  minuet  or  scherzo, 
with  trio,  and  the  last  a  finale,  in  the  manner  of  the  first 


76  A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 

movement,  or  a  rondo.  Many  sonatas  have  no  minuet 
or  scherzo,  and  consist  of  three  movements  alone.  There 
are  other  exceptions,  all  of  which  are  easily  recogniz- 
able. Duos,  trios,  quartuos,  etc.,  all  possess  this  form,  as  we 
have  already  remarked  in  speaking  of  the  quartette  form. 

What  is  a  sonatina  ? 

A  sonata  of  small  dimensions  and  lighter  character, 
consisting  of  two,  or  at  most  three,  movements. 

What  is  an  overture  ? 

An  orchestral  piece  consisting  of  one  great  movement, 
which  usually  progresses  in  one  tempo  —  allegro  —  and 
without  signs  of  repetition.  The  overture  sometimes  has 
an  introduction,  however.  Its  correct  form  is  that  of 
the  first  movement  of  a  sonata,  but,  as  we  have  already 
remarked,  without  signs  of  repetition. 

What  is  a  symphony  ? 

An  orchestral  composition  in  the  large  sonata  form. 
Its  movements,  as  well  as  those  of  all  instrumental  works 
hitherto  named,  are  constructed  in  the  same  manner  as 
those  of  the  quartette  which  we  have  described. 

What  is  a  concerto  '.' 

A  composition  for  one  or  several  instruments,  in  which 
the  solo  performers  display  technical  facility  and  taste, 
vvhile  the  orchestra  merely  accompanies.  It  consists  of 
three  movements,  an  allegro,  an  adagio,  and  a  finale  or 
rondo.  The  allegro  begins  with  a  tutti,  then  the  per- 
former enters  with  his  first  solo,  then  comes  a  second 
tutti.  followed  by  a  second  solo,  then  a  third  tutti  and  a 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  77 

third  solo,  and  a  .short  tutti  closes  the  movement.  The 
last  movement  has  the  same  form.  The  adagio  or  an- 
dante is  in  the  form  of  a  sonata.  In  later  times  these 
three  movements  have  been  much  shortened,  concen- 
trated in  one  large  movement,  and  the  smaller  form  is 
now  called  a  concertino. 

What  is  a  fantasia  ? 

A  composition  the  form  of  which  is  left  to  the  taste 
and  fancy  of  the  composer.  It  has  its  periods,  groups,  and 
parts,  like  other  compositions,  but  the  arrangement,  and 
combination  of  these  are  ordered  in  so  many  and  vari- 
ous ways  that,  while  we  may  analyze  the  form  of  each 
separate  fantasia,  we  cannot  describe  that  of  the  fan- 
tasia in  general  in  such  a  manner  as  to  explain  the  form 
of  all. 

What  is  a  caprice  ? 

A  composition  in  which  the  composer  expresses  some 
particular  accidental  mood  or  humor.  The  form  may 
be  handled  freely,  in  the  style  of  a  fantasia,  or  strictly 
according  to  rule.  The  pianoforte  caprices  of  A.  B. 
Muller  are  fine  examples  of  the  latter  class. 

What  is  a  potpourri  ? 

An  arrangement  of  different  and  generally  well  known 
melodies,  for  one  or  more  instruments.  Many  modern 
fantasias  are  really  nothing  but  potpourris  of  this  kind. 

What  is  au  opera  ? 

A  dramatic  lyric  play,  in  which  poetry,  music,  paint- 
ing, and  acting  united  endeavor  to  excite  lively  interest 


78  A   CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC 

and  illusion  by  means  of  their  lifelike  presentation  of 
an  exciting  action.  All  these  means  must  work  together 
in  order  to  move  the  heart  and  strengthen  the  impression 
made  on  the  mind  and  senses. 

What  special  musical  forms  does  the  opera  include  ? 

The  recitative,  arioso,  cavatina,  aria,  arietta,  duo, 
terzetto,  etc.,  the  ensemble  (concerted)  pieces,  the  finale, 
choruses. 

What  is  an  oratorio  ? 

A  sacred  drama,  the  words  of  which  are  taken  from 
the  Bible,  or  versified  from  a  Biblical  subject.  It  is  not 
intended  for  dramatic  representation,  but  is  calculated 
for  performance  by  singers  and  an  orchestra.  Its  form 
resembles  that  of  the  grand  opera  on  the  whole,  but  its 
style  is  naturally  more  serious  and  churchlike. 

What  is  a  hymn  ? 

A  religious  choral  composition,  sometimes  interspersed 
with  solo  movements. 

What  is  a  motet  ? 

A  church  song,  generally  composed  to  a  short  text, 
Bible  verses,  etc.,  containing  one  especial  musical  thought, 
amid  which  other  voices  weave  a  varied  contrapuntal 
web.  Between  the  different  strophes,  movements  appear 
in  the  form  of  the  fugue  or  canon. 

What  is  a  mass  or  missa  ? 

A  musical  composition  set  and  sung  to  the  words  of 
the  principal  Catholic  service,  such  as  the  Kyrie,  the 
Gloria,  etc. 


A   CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC  79 

What  is  a  requiem  ? 

A  mass  for  the  dead  (missia  pro  defunetis). 

What  is  a  cantata  ? 

A  composition  consisting  of  arias,  duets,  and  choruses 
arranged  according  to  the  incidents  of  the  poem,  inter- 
spersed with  recitatives,  which,  though  resembling  the 
musical  drama  in  its  plan  form,  is  intended  to  be  per- 
formed without  scenic  assistance. 

What  is  a  serenade  ? 

Music  intended  to  be  performed  in  the  evening,  under 
the  windows  of  some  person  who  is  to  be  entertained. 
Many  instrumental  compositions  are  thus  named  which, 
without  being  intended  for  this  particular  use,  are  of  a 
soft  and  pleasing  character. 

What  is  a  nocturne  or  nocturno  ? 
The  same  thing  as  a  serenade. 


SECTION   V 
RELATIONSHIP  OF  THE  KEYS,    OR   MODULATION 

What  is  meant  by  related  key*  ? 

Keys  that  have  several  tones  in  common  with  each 
other,  C  and  g  major,  for  example,  are  keys  very  nearly 
related  to  each  other,  for  g  major  contains  only  one  tone 
not  to  be  found  in  c.  namely,  f  sharp  instead  of  f. 
D  major  is  also  related  to  c,  but  not  so  nearly  as  g.  for 
it  has  two  tones  foreign  to  c,  namely,  f  sharp  and  c  sharp. 


80  <*    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 

What  are  these  nearer  or  more  distant  relationships  styled  ? 
Degree  of  relationship. 

F  major  and  g  major  each  differ  from  c  major  in  one  tone  alone. 
What  is  the  difference  in  their  relationship  ? 

There  is  none.  G  major  and  f  major  stand  related  to 
c  major  in  the  same  degree. 

How  may  we  easily  recognize  the  different  degrees  of  relation- 
ship of  the  major  keys  to  each  other  ? 

According  to  the  regular  succession  of  keys,  by  start- 
ing from  any  tone,  and  then  taking  its  fifth  above  and 
its  fifth  below.     Thus  : 

>     >     >     *>     >     "     >     8     8     8     8     8     it     8 

76543       211234567 
Cb  Gb  Db    Ab    Eb    Bu    FC6    D     A     E      B    F#  C# 

If  we  wash  to  know  what  major  keys  are  most  nearly 
related  to  C,  the  fifth  above  and  the  fifth  below  give  us 
the  key  notes,  that  is,  G  and  F.  The  keys  standing  in 
the  second  degree  of  relationship  to  C  are  D  and  B  flat 
major. 

What  keys  stand  in  the  first  and  second  degree  of  relationship 
to  B  flat  major  ? 

In  the  first  degree,  F  and  E  flat ;  in  the  second,  C  and 
A.  flat. 

How  shall  we  recognize  these  degrees  of  relationship  between 
the  minor  keys  ? 

By  the  same  succession  of  ascending  or   descending 

fifths  from   the   key  note.      We  find   the   upper   fifth 

from  a  minor,  namely,  E  minor,  and  its  under  fifth  D 


A   CATECHISM    OP   MUSIC  81 

minor,  stand  in  the  first  degree  of  relationship  to  it.  In 
this  way  the  different  degrees  of  relationship  among  the 
minor  scales  may  also  be  easily  calculated. 

Are  there  other  degrees  of  relationship  ? 

Yes ;  two  parallel  keys,  for  instance,  C  major  and 
A  minor,  stand  in  the  first  degree  of  relationship  to 
each  other,  and  the  major  and  minor  keys  placed  on 
the  same  tone,  C  major  and  C  minor,  for  example,  also 
stand  in  the  same  degree  of  relationship.  Thus  every 
major  and  minor  key  has  four  other  keys  related  to  it 
in  the  first  degree,  two  major  and  two  minor 

G 

I 
c— C— a 


The  key  in  the  center  is  the  accepted  principal  major 
key  ;  the  large  letters  standing  above  and  below  are 
the  next  related  major  keys,  and  the  small  letters  at 
the  sides  are  the  most  nearly  related  minor  keys.  If 
we  take  D  as  the  starting ,  point,  we  arrive  at  the  rela- 
tionship below : 


d— D— b 


i 


82  A    CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC 

And   here,  starting   from  a  minor   key  are   the  nearest 
degrees  of  relationship  : 

e 

A— a— C 

I 
d 

How  shall  we  find  the  relationship  of  the  second  degree  from 
a  major  key  ? 

By  seeking  out  the  four  nearest  related  keys  to  each 
of  the  four  nearest  related  keys  of  the  key  we  first 
started  from.  Thus  we  know  that  G  and  F  major,  a 
and  c  minor,  are  the  nearest  related  keys  to  c  major. 
Now  if  Ave  take  G  major  from  among  these  and  render 
it  the  central  point  of  a  new  relationship  of  the  first 
degree,  we  find  its  result  in  the  following  figure : 


D 

1st  figure 

1 

c 

If 

we 

take  F  major 
2d  figure, 

as  a 
f- 

central 

C 

1 
-F— d 

B  flat 

point 

Wf 

find 

a   CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC  83 

a  minor  will  give  us  a  third  figure, 
e 
3d  figure 

C— a— A 

I 
d 

and  lastly,  c  minor  results,  thus  : 

g 

Jfth  figure 

E  flat— c— C 

I 

Now,  if  we  separate  from  these  tables  of  relationship, 
first,  the  starting  keys,  which  are  the  four  most  nearly 
related  to  c  major,  we  find  as  related  to  c  major  in  the 
second  degree, 

First  figure :  D  major,  g  minor,  e  minor ;  second 
figure  :  B  flat  major,  d  minor,  f  minor  ;  third  figure  : 
A  major,  e  minor,  d  minor  ;  fourth  figure  :  E  flat  major 
g  minor,  f  minor ;  d,  e,  f,  and  g  minor  appear  twice, 
however,  yet  we  find  remaining,  related  in  the  second 
degree  to  c  major :  D,  B  flat,  A  and  E  flat  major,  g,  d.  f, 
and  e  minor. 

Do  the  above  remarks  apply  also  to  the  relationships  in  the 
second  degree  of  the  minor  keys  ? 

They  do. 

With  a  minor,  we  find  related  in  the  first  degree  e  and 
d  minors.  ( 1  and  A  major. 

Belated  to  e  minor  in  the  first  degree  are  b  and  a 
minors.  (J  and  E  majors. 


84  A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

To  d  minor  in  the  first  degree  we  find  a  and  g  minors, 
F  and  D  major. 

Related  to  C  major  in  the  first  degree  we  find  G  and 
F  majors,  c  and  a  minors. 

To  A  major  in  the  first  degree  we  have  E  and  D 
majors,  a  and  f  sharp  minors. 

Now,  if  we  separate  those  keys  which  we  found  in  our 
first  plan  of  the  a  minor  relationship,  and  also  put  aside 
those  keys  which  are  repeated  in  the  above  list,  we  shall 
find  b  minor,  f  sharp  minor,  g  minor,  c  minor,  E  major, 
D  major,  F  major,  and  G  major,  all  related  to  a 
minor  in  the  second  degree. 

These  relationships  might  be  pursued  into  more  distant 
degrees,  but  the  above  will  be  found  sufficient  for  the 
scholar's  purpose. 


SECTION  VI 
ELEMENTARY   TREATISE    ON    PIANO   TECHNIQUE 

These  can  be  briefly  divided  into  three,  —  finger,  wrist, 
and  elbow  action.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  posi- 
tion and  modes  of  use  of  the  fingers  and  arms  are  not  so 
strongly  insisted  upon  for  the  sake  of  gracefulness  only ; 
experience  and  anatomical  research  has  proved  that  by 
holding  the  hands  in  the  position  which  has  been 
adopted,  and  lifting  the  fingers  from  the  knuckle  joint, 
the    muscular    development    is    easiest    attained,    and 


A   CATECHISM   OF   MUSIC  85 

the   greatest   amount  of   force   obtained  with  the  least 
exertion. 

A  good  method  of  acquiring  the  finger  action  is  to 
place  the  hand,  palm  downward,  flat  upon  a  table,  then 
draw  each  finger  backward  as  far  as  possible.  The  five- 
finger  exercises  are  wholly  intended  to  develop  finger 
action.  Scales,  legato  passages,  etc.,  are  played  with 
this  action. 

Wrist  action  consists  of  a  swinging  of  the  hand  from 
the  wrist  joint.  The  fingers  are  firm,  the  wrist  loose. 
Place  the  fore-arm  upon  a  table,  then,  without  any  other 
motion,  raise  the  hand  (by  the  wrist  joint)  and  strike 
down,  holding  the  fingers  fixed  in  their  normal  position. 
Wrist  action  is  generally  used  in  playing  chords,  staccato 
passages,  octaves,  accented  notes,  etc. 

Elbow  action  consists  of  a  swinging  of  the  entire  fore- 
arm from  the  elbow  joint,  holding  the  wrist  and  fingers 
motionless.  This  mode  is  used  in  very  full  chords, 
strongly  accented  notes,  etc. 

Beyond  these  motions  of  finger,  wrist,  and  elbow  joint, 
no  others  are  used.  The  whole  apparatus  for  the  me- 
chanical part  of  piano  playing  ends  at  the  elbow  joints, 
and  use  of  the  back-arm,  swaying  of  the  body,  or  other 
motions,  are  entirely  to  be  avoided.  There  is  at  no  time 
to  be  any  straining  of  muscles,  or  stiffness.  By  holding 
all  parts  of  hand  and  arm  flexible,  the  pupil  will  be  able 
to  play  the  longest  and  most  forcible  passages  with  far 
less  exertion  than  an  ordinary  passage  would  take  if 
played  with  stiff  joints  and  strained  muscles. 


86  A   CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

No  master  disputes  the  utility  of  the  daily  practice 
of  Scales,  but  many  pupils  have  a  great  disinclination 
thereto ;  and,  though  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  that  every 
one  will  practice  them  to  the  extent  he  may  be  desired, 
still  as  that  which  is  done  willingly,  and  with  a  convic- 
tion of  it  being  conducive  to  improvement,  will  always 
be  not  only  more  pleasant,  but  much  more  satisfactory 
in  its  results,  than  that  which  is  done  as  a  mere  task, 
the  author  assures  all  his  pupils  that  more  improvement 
will  be  made  in  one  month  by  those  who  practice  them 
daily,  than  will  be  made  in  six  or  even  twelve  months 
by  those  who  do  not. 

The  greatest  performers  never  discontinue-the  practice 
of  scales,  and  the  pupil  will  find  that,  by  them,  he  gradu- 
ally becomes  conversant  with  a  proper  system  of  finger- 
ing for  many  passages  in  music,  in  which  otherwise  he 
would  be  wholly  dependent  upon  his  teacher's  sugges- 
tions. He  will  also  attain  a  degree  of  rapidity  of  execu- 
tion and  clearness  of  touch  which  can  be  obtained  in  no 
other  way. 

The  Common,  Dominant,  and  Sub-Dominant  arpeggios, 
of  "every  key,  should,  also  be  practiced  daily,  beginning 
by  striking  the  chords  and  then  the  arpeggios.  This 
will  serve  a  double  purpose :  not  only  will  it  aid  the 
pupil  in  obtaining  manual  dexterity  and  a  correct  system 
of  fingering,  but  it  will  greatly  facilitate  sight-reading. 
The  harmonies  used  in  many  of  the  easier  musical  pieces 
consist  almost  entirely  of  these  three  chords,  while  many 


A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  87 

seemingly  brilliant  variations  are  simply  a  succession  of 
these  arpeggios,  and  can  be  mastered  very  readily  by  the 
scholar  who  practices  them  daily.  The  chords  should  be 
played  sometimes  with  wrist  and  sometimes  with  elbow 
action.  Five-finger  exercises  are  also  indispensable  to 
the  pupil.  A  daily  practice  of  these  will  teach  the  player 
how  to  give  the  maximum  of  sound  with  the  minimum 
of  exertion.  They  are  to  the  pianist  what  dumb-bells  or 
Indian-clubs  are  to  the  athlete.  The  best  of  these  exer- 
cises are  those  written  by  Schmidt,  Herz,  or  Czerny.  It 
is  to  be  suggested,  however,  that  the  pupil  should  not 
play  them  always  in  the  key  in  which  they  are  written, 
but  transpose  them  both  up  and  down  the  key  board,  as 
this  will  exercise  the  memory  in  the  various  keys,  and  also 
saves  the  pianoforte,  for  nothing  wears  out  a  piano  so 
much  as  five-finger  exercises  played  constantly  on  the 
same  keys. 

These  three  exercises  (scales,  arpeggios,  and  five-finger) 
are  the  most  necessary  daily  ones  to  form  the  pupil. 
We  would  also  suggest  that  it  is  an  excellent  plan  for 
the  pupil,  before  playing  any  piece,  to  play  the  scale, 
chords,  and  arpeggios  of  the  key  in  which  it  is  written. 
This  will  at  once  concentrate  the  mind  upon  tl  at  key, 
and  accustom  the  fingers  to  the  notes  and  method  of 
lingering  about  to  be  used. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  remark  that  practice,  to 
be  efficient,  must  be  upon  a  good  principle.  Practice 
upon  a  bad  principle,  or,  what  is  more  common,  without 


88  A  CATECHISM  OF   MUSIC 

any  principle  at  all,  will  but  confirm  error,  and  render 
it  more  difficult  to  conquer.  It  is,  therefore,  essential 
to  prevent  any  bad  habit  from  being  acquired ;  and  the 
very  first  time  a  child  puts  its  fingers  on  the  keys,  it 
should  be  taught  to  do  so  in  a  proper  manner.  This 
opinion  is  much  at  variance  with  common  practice,  which 
is,  to  let  a  child  learn  any  way  at  first,  and,  when  it  has 
contracted  all  sorts  of  bad  habits,  to  give  it  a  good  master, 
who  has  not  only  to  teach,  but  also  to  unteach,  if,  indeed, 
that  can  ever  be  done.  A  child's  learning  anything  may 
be  compared  to  the  winding  of  a  skein  of  thread,  which, 
if  it  have  never  been  tangled  may  be  easily,  though  per- 
haps in  some  instances  slowly,  wound;  but  if  it  be 
tangled,  not  only  will  the  trouble  be  increased  tenfold 
but  the  chances  are  that  it  will  be  broken  in  many 
places,  and  consequently  never  perfect.  Some  pupils 
have  naturally,  that  is  to  say,  without  any  instruction 
as  to  how  it  should  be  done,  a  better  mode  of  touching 
the  keys  than  others,  as  some  persons  are  naturally  more 
or  less  graceful  in  all  they  do,  while  others  are  more 
or  less  awkward ;  but  it  is  not  sufficient  that  anything 
be  well  done,  it  must  be  done  well  on  principle.  Those 
who  have  what  may  be  termed  a  natural  good  touch,  will 
have  less  difficulty  to  contend  with ;  but  they  must  not 
be  allowed  to  be  ignorant  of  the  principle  upon  which 
they  do  well.  It  is  not,  however,  in  the  province  of 
these  remarks  to  give  a  detailed  explanation  of  the 
principle  upon  which  different  passages  should  be  played ; 


A  CATECHISM  OF  MUSIC  89 

this  can  only  be  properly  and  progressively  done  by  a 
good  instructor. 

One  thing  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed  on  the 
mind  of  the  pupil,  which  is  the  necessity  of  patience 
and  perseverance  in  thoroughly  understanding  and  play- 
ing correctly,  though  perhaps  not  fluently,  the  early 
exercises,  as  upon  these  will  depend  all  the  future 
progress.  If  there  be  but  two  notes  to  be  played,  still 
those  two  notes  must  be  well  done,  and  it  is  not  sufficient 
that  the  pupil  be  able  to  do  them  well  once  or  twice, 
but  he  must  practice  doing  so ;  and  the  rule  for  going 
forward  must  never  be  when  anything  has  been  played 
a  certain  number  of  times,  or  when  it  is  merely  correct, 
but  when,  by  repetition,  it  has  become  habitual  to  do 
it  well.  As  an  incitement  to  perseverance,  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  those  who  understand  and  do  play  even 
two  notes  well,  may  soon,  with  the  same  application, 
play  four,  and  so  on ;  whereas  those  who  pass  over  the 
first  two  notes,  or  any  tiling  else,  without  being  thoroughly 
understood,  and  sufficiently  practiced,  will  never  make 
any  satisfactory  progress. 

For  the  sake  of  giving  precise  directions,  it  has  been 
assumed  that  every  pupil  should  practice  two  hours 
a  day;  and  it  may  with  truth  be  said,  that  those  who 
expect  to  make  any  efficient  progress  should  do  this  at 
the  least.  Those  who  adhere  strictly  to  the  directions 
for  the  two  hours  may,  it  is  conceived,  from  the  habits 
acquired  thereby,  be  safely  left  to  their  own  discretion 
for  any  additional  time. 


90  A    CATECHISM    OF  MUSIC 

Practice   in   General. 

Fixed  hours  should  be  appointed  for  practice.  It  is 
not  enough  to  say  that  a  pupil  should  practice  two  or 
more  hours  a  day,  but  the  time  for  so  doing  should  be 
fixed ;  every  day's  experience  shows  that  whatever  is 
left  to  be  done  at  an  uncertain  time  is  frequently  left 
undone ?  or  at  best  done  but  imperfectly.  Finger  exer- 
cises should  sometimes  be  played  apart  from  the  other 
studies.  Let  the  scholar,  whenever  he  has  ten  or  fif- 
teen minutes  of  leisure,  seat  himself  at  the  piano  and 
play  these  until  quite  tired,  then  rest  awhile,  and  re- 
sume again. 

The  first  portion  of  every  hour's  practice  should  be 
devoted  to  Fxercises  or  Scales. 

Practicing  a  passage,  exercise,  or  scale  does  not  mean 
playing  it  through  once,  twice,  or  thrice,  but  a  careful 
repetition  of  it  twenty  or  thirty  times  successively ; 
and  the  practice  of  the  same  should  be  resumed  daily, 
till  it  be  executed  with  correctness  and  precision,  and 
with  as  much  fluency  as  the  progress  of  the  pupil  will 
admit. 

The  degree  of  rapidity  with  which  anything  is  played 
may  be  eoneeded  to  the  age  or  ability  of  the  pupil ;  but 
respecting  the  principle  upon  which  it  is  played,  there 
must  be  no  compromise.  A  pupil,  therefore,  must  not 
conclude  anything  to  be  sufficiently  practiced  until 

Not  one  wrong  key  is  struck  ; 

Not  one  wrong  finger  used  ; 


A   CATECHISM   OF    MUSIC  91 

Not  one  finger  down  when  it  ought  to  be  up,  or  up 
when  it  ought  to  be  down ; 

rf  lie  hand  held  in  a  proper  position  throughout ; 

The  piece  or  passage  played  in  proportion,  and  with- 
out looking  at  the  fingers. 

Nothing  which  fails  in  any  of  these  particulars  can 
be  termed  correctly  done. 

Rules  to    ise   Observed    at   Practice. 
1.     Never  pass  a  mistake. 

Never  pass  over  a  mistake,  but  whenever  a  wrong  key 
is  struck,  a  wrong  finger  used,  if  a  finger  be  down  or 
up  when  it  ought  to  be  otherwise,  or  if  the  passage  be 
not,  played  in  proportion,  recommence  the  passage,  and 
continue  to  do  so  till  it  be  done  correctly.  Passing  on, 
intending  to  rectify  the  mistake  at  another  time,  will 
only  serve  to  confirm  the  error,  and  render  it  ultimately 
more  difficult  to  conquer. 

2.      Practice  slowly  at  first. 

Avoiding  mistakes  is  better  than  having  them  to 
rectify.  Practice,  therefore,  slowly  at  first,  and  when 
the  passage  is  done  correctly,  increase  the  rapidity  to 
the  desired  degree.  It  is  certain  that  that  which  can- 
not be  done  correctly  slow,  will  not  be  correct  when 
done  fast.  The  rapidity  may  render  the  incorrectness 
less  observable,  but  it  will  not  be  the  less  bad. 


92  A   CATECHISM   OP   MUSIC 

3.     Ascertain  the  nature  of  the  difficulty. 

When  any  passage  is  found  to  be  difficult,  the  first 
point  is  to  ascertain  exactly  where,  and  in  what  particu- 
lar, the  error  or  the  difficulty  consists.  Suppose,  for 
instance,  in  a  passage  of  twenty  notes  the  difficulty  lies 
in  the  execution  of  two  or  three  notes  only;  in  that 
case,  practice  those  two  or  three  notes  till  they  be  done 
with  readiness,  and  then  practice  the  whole  passage. 

4.     Practice  with  each  hand  separately. 

It  may  be  sometimes  advisable  to  practice  a  passage 

with  each  hand  separately.     It  may  be  relied  on,  that 

if  a  passage  be  not  played  correctly  with  one  hand  at  a 

time,  it  will  not  be  well  done  with  both  hands  together. 

5.     Select  passages  for  practice. 

As  all  parts  of  a  piece  will  not  require  the  same 
degree  of  practice,  select  those  parts  in  which  there  i3 
any  difficulty,  and  practice  them.  Much  time  is  saved 
by  this  method.  For  example,  suppose,  in  a  page  of 
forty  bars,  there  are  two  which  will  require  practising 
fifty  times,  or  more,  to  do  correctly ;  it  is  obvious  that 
it  will  be  less  trouble,  and  take  less  time,  to  practice 
the  two  bars  fifty  times,  than  the  whole  page  fifty  times  ; 
besides  which,  any  difficulty  will  be  much  sooner  sur- 
mounted by  being  played  fifty  times  successively,  than 
if  it  be  played  the  same  number  of  times,  with  forty  or 
fifty  bars  intervening  between  each  repetition. 


A  CATECHISM   OF  MUSIC  VO 

6.  Practice  in  small  portions. 
When  a  piece  contains  no  decided  comparatively 
difficult  passage  requiring  to  be  practiced  as  above, 
still  it  is  desirable  to  practice  it  in  small  portions, 
rather  than  straight  through  from  the  beginning  to 
the  end.  For  instance,  suppose  two  pages  containing 
eighty  bars  are  to  be  practiced ;  the  pupil  will  be  much 
more  familiarized  with  the  piece  by  playing  portions  of 
eight  or  sixteen  bars,  as  may  be  convenient,  each  twenty 
times,  than  if  he  played  the  whole  eighty  bars  straight 
through  twenty  times. 

7.      Caution  required  in  selecting  passages. 

In  selecting  passages  for  practice,  it  is  desirable  not 
to  begin  or  end  always  at  the  same  place,  unless  it  be 
a  completely  detached  passage  ;  otherwise  a  habit  of  hesi- 
tating or  stopping  at  a  particular  place  will  be  con- 
tracted, which  it  may  be  afterwards  difficult  to  overcome. 

8.      Extend  and  reverse  passages. 

It  is  frequently  useful  to  lengthen  or  extend  a  pas- 
sage to  a  greater  compass  than  may  be  required  in  the 
piece,  or,  in  fact,  to  make  an  exercise  of  it.  For  ex- 
ample, if  an  arpeggio  extending  two  octaves  require 
practice,  it  will  be  good  policy  to  practice  it  to  the 
extent  of  three  or  four  octaves. 

It  is  also  desirable,  when  the  passage  will  admit  of 
it,  to  practice  both  ascending  and  descending,  although 
only  one  way  may  be  required  in  the  piece. 


94  A   CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC 

9.     Repeat  correctly  six  successive  times  at  least. 

No  passage  that  has  been  badly  played  should  be 
considered  as  sufficiently  practiced  when  done  once  or 
twice  right;  six  successive  times,  without  error,  is  the 
least  that  can  he  depended  on. 

If,  on  resuming  the  practice  of  the  same  on  another 
occasion,  it  should  be  incorrect  (as  will  frequently  be 
the  case),  it  should  be  practiced  till  it  be  done  twelve 
successive  times  without  error,  and  so  on  till  it  ran 
be,  with  certainty,  played  correctly. 

10.     Practice  piece  as  a  whole. 

After  practising  in  detail  as  above  described,  the 
piece  must  be  carefully  practiced  as  a  whole  from  be 
ginning  to  end.  If,  in  doing  this,  any  mistake  should 
occur,  the  best  remedy  is  to  recommence  the  whole 
page  or  two  (nothing  fixes  the  attention  as  much  as 
this),  and  continue  to  do  so  until 

Not  one  wrong  key  be  struck; 

Not  one  wrong  finger  used; 

Not  one  finger  be  down  or  up  when  it  ought  to  be 
otherwise,  and  until  the  whole  be  played  through  in 
proportion. 

11.      After  correctness,  practice  for  fluency. 

Practice,  besides  being  necessary  for  insuring  cor- 
rectness! in  any  piece  or  passage,  is  afterwards  requisite 
for  the  purpose  of  gaining  more  fluency  or  more  finish 
in  the  manner  of  executing  it. 


A    CATECHISM    OF   MUSIC  95 

12.  Practice  till  perfect. 
Lastly,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  remark  that  although 
it  is  desirable,  both  by  diligence  and  method,  to  ac- 
complish as  much  as  possible  in  the  shortest  time,  still 
a  pupil  should  remember  that,  when  any  piece  is  played, 
nobody  inquires  how  often  it  has  been  practiced,  or  how 
long  the  performer  has  been  learning  it — the  only  point 
is,  whether  it  be  well  or  ill  done.  No  stated  number 
of   times   can,  therefore,  be   fixed    upon;  but    a    piece 

SHOULD   BE  PRACTISED  TILL  IT  BE  PERFECT. 

Let  the  scholar  remember  that  the  teacher  cannot, 
at  every  lesson,  hear  the  most  indispensable  of  all  —  the 
Daily  Exercises  and  Scales.  Therefore  in  this  depart- 
ment the  scholar  becomes,  in  a  slight  degree,  his  own 
teacher.  Upon  the  faithfulness  with  which  he  per- 
forms this  task,  his  entire  future  progress  depends. 

Position  of  the  Hand  and  Arm. 

The  hand  and  forearm  should  be  in  a  straight  line 
from  the  elbow  to  the  middle  joint  of  the  second  fin- 
ger, keeping  the  wrist  neither  raised  nor  depressed. 
The  fingers  are  to  be  kept  moderately  bent  and  apart 
(directing  particular  attention  to  the  second  and  third 
ringers,  which  are  more  apt  to  be  too  close  together  than 
the  others),  so  that  one  finger  may  be  over  the  center 
of  each  key ;  and  the  thumb  must  always  be  kept  over 
a  key.  It  is  of  the  highest  importance  to  attend  to 
the   keeping  of  each  finger  over  the  center   of  a  key, 


96  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

for  many  persons,  notwithstanding  they  may  encompass 
five  keys  from  the  thumb  to  the  little  finger,  by  keeping 
the  other  fingers  at  unequal  distances,  play  indistinctly. 
For  example,  supposing  the  right  thumb  to  play  C,  in 
stead  of  striking  F  distinctly  with  the  third  finger,  they 
strike  both  E  and  F  with  the  third  finger.  Errors  of 
this  sort  are  not  at  all  uncommon,  particularly  in  ar- 
peggio passages,  and  should  be  guarded  against  from 
the  first,  by  acquiring  a  habit  of  keeping  each  finger 
over  the  center  of  a  key. 

Manner  of  Touching  the  Keys,  or  Putting 
down  or  Raising  the  Fingers. 

This  is  a  point  not  generally  sufficiently  attended  to, 
but  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  importance,  and  should  be 
thoroughly  understood  and  put  in  practice  at  first,  for 
the  want  of  a  proper  manner  of  putting  down  and  raising 
the  fingers  throws  great  additional  difficulty  into  the 
execution  of  every  thing  that  is  played,  and  not  only 
adds  difficulty,  but  gives  a  bad  effect,  however  perfect 
the  performance  may  be  in  all  other  respects.  If  the 
attention  be  strictly  directed  to  this  at  first,  the  proper 
manner  of  putting  down  and  raising  the  fingers  will  be- 
>ome  a  habit  and  will  cause  no  trouble  afterward ;  whereas, 
if  this  be  neglected  at  first,  and  the  pupil  be  allowed  to 
practice  upon  a  bad  or  upon  no  fixed  principle,  bad  habits 
will  be  acquired,  and  become  more  or  less  confirmed,  in 
proportion  to  the  degree  of  practice,  and  which,  if  ever 


A     CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  97 

they  be  overcome,  must  be  at  the  expense  of  much  labor 
and  time.  It  is,  therefore,  essential  to  prevent  any  bad 
habits  being  contracted. 

The  rule  is  simply  to  hold  the  finger  down  on  one 
key  till  the  next  is  down,  but  not  longer  ;  or  as  it  may 
be  otherwise  expressed : 

Two  keys  which  are  to  be  played  successively  must 
not  be  held  down  together,  neither  must  one  be  raised 
till  the  other  is  down.  In  order  to  direct  the  attention 
particularly  to  this  point,  it  may  be  as  well  to  remark, 
that  if  the  finger  be  held  down  too  long  after  the  follow- 
ing key  is  struck,  it  may  be  so  in  a  greater  or  lesser 
degree.  For  instance,  suppose  C  D  are  to  be  played 
successively,  C  may  be  held  during  the  whole,  or  half, 
or  a  quarter  of  the  time  after  D  is  down,  either  of  which 
is  wrong,  though  not  equally  so.  It  is  not  unusual  with 
those  who  have  a  bad  touch,  when  five  successive  keys 
are  played,  to  find  the  whole  five  down  at  once ;  so  that 
the  first  is  down  four  times  longer  than  it  ought  to  be, 
and  the  others  proportiouably  so. 

It  may  be  remarked,  that  those  who  hold  the  fingers 
down  too  much  in  some  places,  generally  raise  them  too 
soon  in  others.  Raising  the  finger  from  one  key  before 
the  next  is  down  must  equally,  as  a  general  rule, 
be  guarded  against,  as  it  gives  a  broken  and  disjointed 
effect. 

Let  it  not,  however,  be  conceived  that  either  holding 
one  key  down  after  the  next  is  struck,  or  taking  up 
before  the  next  be  down,  is  wrong,  if  marked  to  be  so 


98  A    CATECHISM     OF     MUSIC 

played.  What  is  intended  to  be  impressed  cm  the  mind 
of  the  pupil  is,  that  the  general  rule  must  be  to 

Hold  oue  key  till  the  next  is  down,  but  not  longer. 

And  no  exercise,  passage,  or  lesson  should  be  played 
in  which  this  cannot  be  strictly  attended  to,  until  a 
perfect  habit  of  playing  upon  this  principle  is  acquired ; 
after  which  the  exceptions,  such  as  raising  the  ringers 
at  the  rests,  repeated  notes,  and  those  marked  to  be 
played  staccato,  eta,  must  be  learned. 

Preliminary  Exercises. 

It  is  important,  when  striking  a  key  with  one  ringer, 
to  do  so  without  moving  the  others.  To  acquire  the 
power  of  doing  this,  exercises  in  which  some  fingers  are 
held  firmly  down  while  the  others  are  moving  must  be 
practised.  These  exercises  are  termed  "  preliminary," 
because  they  are  to  be  practiced  before,  and, because  they 
differ  in  principle  from  all  others  in  this  respect,  viz., 
that  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  for  each  finger  a  free 
action,  independent  of  the  others,  those  fingers  which 
are  not  employed  in  playing  are  to  be  held  down  ;  whereas 
the  general  rule  in  all  other  exercises  is  to  hold  none 
down  but  what  are  actually  employed  in  playing. 

The  daily  practice  of  these,  for  a  short  time  previous 
to  other  exercises,  will  always  be  highly  beneficial. 

Looking  at  the  Fingeks. 

It  is  essential  that  the  pupil  should  acquire  the  power 
of  playing  without  looking  at  the  fingers.     To  accomplish 


A     CATECHISM    OF     MUSIC  99 

this,  a  little  time  should  occasionally  be  devoted  to  this 
object  exclusively. 

It  must  be  obvious  that  the  object  of  all  exercises  for 
this  purpose  will  be  defeated,  if  they  be  played  till  the 
pupil  remember  them ;  therefore,  the  same  must  never 
be  played  twice  in  one  day. 

Besides  those  which  are  expressly  intended  (by  direct- 
ing the  attention  for  the  time  being  to  that  object  solely) 
to  teach  the  pupil  to  play  without  looking  at  the  fingers, 
it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  all  the  other  exercises 
should  be  played  at  first,  and  afterwards  practised  till 
they  can  be  executed  without  once  looking  at  the  fingers 
after  first  placing  the  hand. 


The  Practice  of  Exercises. 

The  greatest  difficulties  arise  from  a  want  of  attention 
to  the  position  of  the  hand,  and  the  manner  of  putting 
down  as  well  as  taking  up  the  fingers  at  the  proper 
places.  The  attention  of  the  pupil  must,  therefore,  be 
directed  to  these  points  in  the  practice  of  exercises  until 
it  becomes  habitual  both  to  hold  the  hands  well,  and 
touch  the  keys  in  a  proper  manner.  Exercises  are 
classed  for  different  purposes,  such  as  the  practice  of 
single  notes,  double  notes,  arpeggios,  etc.,  and.  as  pas- 
sages similar  to  all  exercises  will  be  found  in  lessons, 
they  will,  after  being  practiced  and  mastered  as  exer- 
cises, not  appear  as  difficulties  when  they  occur. 


100  A     CATECHISM    OP     MUSIC 

Order  of  Learning  and  Practising  the  Scales. 

When  the  pupil  is  sufficiently  advanced,  the  Scales 
should  be  learned  and  practised  daily. 

On  Mondays,  or  any  fixed  day  of  the  week,  learn  one 
Major  Scale,  taken  in  regular  order,  and  its  relative 
Minor,  and  practice  the  same  six  times  or  more  every 
day  during  the  week ;  but,  if  at  the  week's  end  they  are 
not  done  correctly,  and  with  as  much  fluency  as  may  be 
desired,  the  same  must  be  practised  for  a  week  or  as 
many  weeks  more  as  may  be  requisite,  before  proceeding 
to  the  next. 

The  Scales  should  be  practised  in  several  different 
ways. 

First  Mode  of  going  through  the  Scales. 

Practice  with  each  hand  separately^  ascending  and 
descending  six  or  more  times  without  intermission. 

It  may  not  be  useless  to  remark,  that,  in  whichever 
mode  they  be  practised,  the  following  points  must  be 
attended  to : 

The  hand  must  be  held  in  a  proper  position  throughout. 

As  one  finger  goes  down,  the  former  must  be  raised, 
so  that  always  one,  and  only  one  key  be  down  at  a  time. 

Tn  passing  the  thumb  under  the  fingers,  or  fingers 
over  the  thumb,  great  care  must  be  taken  to  do  so  with 
as  little  motion  of  the  hand  as  possible. 

When  this  is  thoroughly,  though  perhaps  slowly 
accomplished,  the    pupil  may  proceed   upon   the    same 


A    CATECHISM    OP    MUSIC  101 

principle  to  the  scale  next  in  succession,  until  all  have 
been  gone  through  with. 

When  all  the  scales  have  been  practised  through  in 
this  manner,  it  will,  most  probably,  be  desirable  to  re- 
commence, and  go  through  the  same  course  again,  before 
proceeding  to  the  next  mode. 

Second  Mode  of  going  through  the  Scales. 

Practice  with  both  hands  together,  ascending  and  de- 
scending eight  or  more  times  successively.  The  same 
directions  as  to  position  of  the  hand,  correctness,  and 
repetition,  if  necessary,  of  the  same  scales,  must  be 
attended  to  in  this  and  succeeding  modes,  as  are  recom- 
mended in  the  first  mode  of  practising  the  scales ;  also, 
the  repetition  of  the  whole  course,  if  necessary. 

Third  Mode  of  going  through  the  Scales. 

Instead  of  ascending  and  descending  as  before,  practice 
each  scale  six  or  more  times,  ascending  only,  and  then  as 
many  times  descending  only,  with  each  hand  separately. 

Practice  progressively  with  increasing  rapidity. 

Fourth  Mode  of  going  through  the  Scales. 

Practice  each  scale  eight  times,  or  more,  ascending 
only,  with  both  hands  together. 

Practice  progressively  with  increased  rapidity. 


102  A    CATECHISM     OF    MUSIC 

Fifth  Mode  of  going  through  the  Scales. 

Practice  each  scale  in  thirds,  eight  times  or  more. 

To  play  a  scale  in  thirds,  begin  with  the  right  hand 
on  the  third  of  the  scale,  with  the  finger  that  would 
have  been  upon  it  had  the  scale  been  commenced  with 
the  key  note,  playing  at  the  same  time  with  the  left 
hand  in  the  usual  manner. 


Sixth  Mode  of  going  through  the  Scales 

Practice  each  scale  in  sixths,  eight  times  or  more. 

To  play  a  scale  in  sixths,  begin  with  the  left  hand 
on  the  third  of  the  scale,  (viz.,  a  sixth  below  the  right 
hand),  with  the  tinger  that  would  have  been  upon  it 
had  the  scale  been  commenced  with  the  key  note, 
playing  at  the  same  time  with  the  right  hand  in  the 
usual  manner. 


The  Practice  of  Old  Lessons. 

It  is  desirable  to  keep  up  the  practice  of  the  old 
lessons,  but  it  is  presumed  that  a  little  time  will  suffice 
for  that  purpose,  if  they  have  been  properly  learned  ; 
therefore,  at  the  second  hour's  practice,  on  Tuesdays, 
Thursdays,  and  Saturdays,  practice  an  old  lesson;  if  it 
be  done  properly,  proceed  to  another ;  but  if  not,  resume 
the  practice  of  the  same  on  the  appointed  days,  till  it  be 
perfect. 


a    catechism    of    music.  108 

Playing  on  the  Piano 

From  Marx's  Musical  Instructions. 

After  singing,  the  command  of  the  pianoiurw  is  our 

most  essential  qualification,  and  among  us  is  so  con- 
sidered. The  piano  is  the  only  instrument,  excepting 
the  scarcely  accessible  organ,  on  which  melody  and 
harmony,  and  the  rich  web  of  combined  and  simulta- 
neous voices  or  parts,  can  be  produced  with  accuracy 
and  almost  unlimited  magnificence  of  effect.  It  is 
also  highly  adapted  to  accompanying  song,  and  to  con- 
ducting. From  these  advantages  it  has  happened,  that 
for  this  single  instrument  more  masterpieces  have 
been  written  since  the  time  of  Sebastian  Bach,  up  to 
Beethoven,  than  for  all  other  instruments  put  together. 
Most  songs  have  been  composed  with  accompaniment  for 
that  instrument  —  organ  parts  can  be  transferred  with- 
out any  change  —  and  whatever  quartette  or  orchestral 
music  found  favor  with  the  public,  was  immediately 
presented  to  piano-forte  players  in  the  form  of 
arrangements.  Therefore,  no  branch  of  practice  can 
promise  so  rich  a  harvest  as  piano  playing ;  and  it 
must  be  acknowledged  that,  without  so  abundant  a 
held,  any  extended  acquaintance  with  our  musical  lit- 
erature would  be  scarcely  possible  to  the  world  in 
general.  To  the  composer  this  instrument  is  nearly 
indispensable,  partly  because  no  other  is  so  appropri- 
ate, both  for  exercising  and  exciting  his  own  imagina- 
tion, and  for  proving  the  effect  of  many  part  composi- 
tions.    It   is  equally  important   to  the    conductor  and 


104  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

smging  master.  Even  its  defects  are  advantages  to 
musical  education,  and  particularly  to  the  composer. 
The  piano-forte  is  generally  inferior  to  the  bowed  and 
wind  instruments  in  inward  feeling  and  power  of  tone  or 
quality  of  sounds,  in  the  power  of  sustaining  a  tone,  in 
equality  of  force,  in  crescendo  or  in  diminuendo,  in 
melting  two  or  more  tones  into  each  other,  and  in  glid- 
ing imperceptibly  from  the  one  to  the  other,  all  which 
so  admirably  succeeds  on  bowed  instruments.  The 
piano  does  not  fully  satisfy  the  ear  :  its  performance, 
compared  to  that  of  bowed  and  wind  instruments,  is 
in  a  manner  colorless  ;  and  its  effect,  in  comparison 
with  the  resplendence  of  an  orchestra,  is  as  a  drawing 
to  a  painting.  But  exactly  on  this  account  the  piano 
«noves  more  powerfully  the  creative  faculty  of  both 
player  and  hearer  ;  for  it  requires  their  assistance  to 
complete  and  color,  to  give  full  significance  to  that 
which  is  but  spiritually  indicated.  Thus  imagination 
fosters  the  new  idea,  and  penetrates  therewith  to  our 
hearts  ;  while  other  instruments  immediately  seize,  and 
move,  and  satisfy  the  senses,  and  by  their  means  attack 
the  feelings,  more  powerfully,  perhaps  in  a  sensual 
direction  ;  but  not  so  fruitfully  in  the  soul.  This  is 
probably  the  chief  reason  why  the  piano  has  become 
the  especial  instrument  for  spiritual  musical  education, 
and  particularly  for  composition;  since  other  instru- 
ments easily  overcome  their  votaries,  Avhom  they  seduce 
into  their  own  instrumental  peculiarities,  and  create  a 
one-sided  mannerism  in  their  productions. 


A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC  106 

For  the  earliest  instruction,  also,  the  piano  has  the 
advantage  (good  tuning  being  supposed)  of  presenting 
to  the  pupil  correct  tones,  and  a  clear  insight  into  the 
tonal  system  of  the  keyboard. 

But  just  from  this  point  arises  the  important  quality 
of  the  instrument,  which  may  be  perilous  to  all  the  real 
advantages  desired  from  it,  unless  it  be  sedulously  con- 
tracted;  and  this,  we  must  confess,  is  at  present  but 
little  thought  of,  nay,  indeed  that  dangerous  quality  is 
speculated  on,  and  an  entire  false  system  of  education 
is  built  on  it  for  outward  show,  through  whose  apparent 
advantages  even  the  true  artistic  education  is  represented 
in  a  false  light,  as  ignorant  and  baleful.  Since  the 
piano-forte  has  its  fixed  tone  provided,  it  is  easier  to 
play  upon  this  instrument  than  upon  any  other,  without 
any  internal  feeling  of  correctness  of  tone,  or  even 
without  hearing,  and  to  arrive  at  a  certain  degree  of 
nechanical  dexterity.  How  often  do  we  meet  ready 
piano  players,  who,  from  want  of  a  cultivated  feeling  of 
tone,  are  incapable  of  singing  a  correct  succession  of  tones 
or  of  imagining  it,  who  have  no  clear  notion  of  what, 
they  are  playing,  nay,  in  reality  hear  nothing  correctly  ! 
How  many  bravura  players  might  one  name,  to  whom 
the  artistic  meaning  of  a  simple  movement  remains  a 
sealed  book,  and  who,  therefore,  perform  the  greatest 
and  the  least  compositions  with  assumption  and  vanity 
indeed,  but  without  inward  participation,  without  awaken- 
ing joy  in  themselves  or  in  their  audience,  but  merely  a 
fruitless  astonishment  at  their  technical  clearness.     And 


1C6  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

how  deep  has  this  possession  of  art  into  dead  mechanism 
penetrated  artistic  life  !  Whoever  has  an  opportunity 
of  observing  many  students  of  music  and  their  teachers, 
cannot  conceal  from  himself  that  at  present,  particularly 
in  large  towns  devoted  to  vanity  and  fashion,  the  greater 
part  of  the  piano-forte  students  are  in  this  manner  led 
astray ;  and  that  a  great  part  of  the  teachers  are  them- 
selves ignorant  of  the  right  path,  or  otherwise  have  not 
the  courage  to  oppose  the  stream  of  fashion,  or  the 
allurements  of  example  and  personal  advantage 

If,  however,  satisfactory  instruction  is  not  to  be  ex- 
pected from  all  masters,  nor  every  student  is  to  hope 
for  the  choice  of  a  good  master,  there  remains  still  a 
tolerably  sure  method  of  guarding  against  this  wide- 
spread evil.  It  consists  in  rigidly  examining  the  work, 
which  is  exacted  from  the  pupil  himself,  and  his  parents 
or  preceptor  insisting  absolutely  that  the  teacher  shall 
furnish  really  profitable  work ;  or,  if  that  cannot  be 
secured  with  certainty,  in  seeking  immediately  another 
teacher  more  trustworthy  to  his  art. 

We  have  already  said  that  the  pianoforte  possesses 
an  extremely  voluminous  literature,  partly  written  ex- 
pressly for  it,  and  partly  adaptations  from  other  works 
foreign  to  it.  What  can  be  more  natural  or  more  en- 
lightening than  to  make  these  works  the  chief  means  of 
instruction;  their  complete  possession  being  one  of  the 
objects  of  pursuit  ? 

For  this  end,  technical  readiness,  finger  exercises  and 
studies   are  required.     But  these  are  manifestly,  only 


A     CATECHISM     OF     MUSIC  107 

means  to  an  end;  and  as  certainly  as  theii  «se  ought 
not  to  be  delayed,  so  certainly  also  ought  they  to  W  set 
aside  when  the  required  dexterity  has  been  gained,  and 
the  principal  difficulties  overcome ;  or  else  from  a  want 
of  methodical  arrangement,  exercises  may  be  prolonged 
without  end.  We  cannot  conceal  from  ourselves  that 
in  these  latter  times  this  error  has  been  stretched  to 
excess,  and  has  overwhelmed  us  with  countless  studies, 
etc.  Every  respectable  teacher,  every  distinguished 
amateur,  considers  himself  bound  to  present  the  world 
with  some  dozens  of  studies,  from  which  few  particular 
artistic  forms  of  fingering  are  to  be  acquired.  And  since 
the  composition  of  a  well-sounding  study  exacts  nothing 
but  the  occurrence  of  an  idea  to  be  worked  in  the  ordin- 
ary routine  of  composition;  since,  moreover,  a  little 
burst  of  enthusiasm  is  highly  thought  of  in  these  matters, 
and,  further,  since  the  brilliant  playing  of  the  author, 
or  the  reputation  of  his  master  renders  him  tolerably 
sure  of  his  public,  Ave  can  never  tell  when  this  composi- 
tion and  spread  of  studies  will  come  to  an  end;  neither, 
indeed,  can  we  imagine  how  the  pupil  shall  find  time 
to  labor  through  the  most  respectable  of  them  only  to 
say  nothing  of  the  real  works  of  art  themselves 
for  whose  sake  alone  the  whole  drudgery  has  been 
endured. 

Let  the  non-musical  enquirer  consider  the  foregoing 
as  a  token  of  good  and  bad  instruction  in  the  question 
before  us. 

Sebastian    Bach  and  Handel,  Joseph   Haydn,  Mozart 


108  A    CATECHISM    OF    MUSIC 

and  Beethoven:  these  are  the  artists  to  whom  we  owe 
the  greatest  and  most  numerous  works  of  art  for  the 
pianoforte.  Among  these,  Bach  and  Beethoven  stand 
forward,  the  one  in  elder,  and  the  other  in  our  times,  as 
those  who  have  reached  the  highest  eminence.  After 
them  Emanuel  Bach,  Clementi,  Dussek,  Karl  Maria, 
Von  Weber,  Hummel,  and  many  more  may  be  named. 
We  abstain  from  giving  a  more  numerous  list,  particu- 
larly of  those  still  living,  as  it  is  not  the  province  of 
this  work  to  pass  judgment  upon  individuals.  Upon 
the  highest,  the  vast  preponderance  in  estimation  of 
the  five  first  named  artists,  there  is  not  the  slightest 
question  among  those  who  have  the  least  tincture  of 
art.  The  one  may  indeed  be  compared  with  the  other, 
but  the  pre-eminence  of  all  is  unquestionable. 

We  can,  therefore,  declare  as  a  condition  for  good 
pianoforte  teaching,  that  the  works  of  those  five  emi- 
nent men  shall  be  considered  as  the  distinguished  and 
governing  lessons  in  the  instruction.  Whatever  linger 
exercises,  hand  lessons,  or  secondary  work  a  teacher 
may  find  necessary  for  his  pupil,  must  be  left  to  his 
decision,  as  it  cannot  be  estimated.  But  the  teacher 
who  does  not  conduct  his  pupil  into  the  study  of  the 
five  great  masters  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done  with  any 
precision,  and  the  time  of  the  lesson  permits  it,  and 
does  not  make  them  the  chief  object  and  goal  of  in 
struetion,  such  a  teacher,  we  may  say  it  without  hesita 
tion,  is  not  able  to  give  a  true  artistic  education,  howevei 
•lever  and  careful  he  may  be  in  other  parts  of  his  duty. 


A     CATECHISM     OF     MUSIC  109 

Teachers  who  keep  their  pupils  to  fashionable  dances 
and  such  trifles,  to  arrangements  from  favorite  operas, 
etc.,  are  altogether  unworthy  of  the  confidence  of  those 
who  seek  for  genuine  education  in  art.  Therefore,  no 
teacher  ought  to  he  chosen  without  the  previous  knowl- 
edge of  his  method  of  instruction. 

Pianoforte  learning  may  begin  very  early,  as  the 
seventh  or  eighth  year,  or  even  earlier,  even  before  the 
hand  can  span  the  octave.  There  is,  moreover,  a  suf- 
ficiency of  excellent  works  of  Haydn  and  Mozart,  well 
adapted  to  the  sensibilities  of  that  tender  age,  if  the 
teacher  be  but  capable  of  choosing  them. 

Music  and  Children. 

(By  Dr.  A.  B.  Marx). 

Let  every  mother,  who  has  a  perception  of  the  charms 
of  music  and  of  its  civilizing  influence,  weigh  well  the 
importance  of  the  early  education  of  the -senses.  Her 
simple  song,  in  which  perhaps,  the  infant  voice  is 
blended,  is  the  most  natural,  and  often  the  most  fruit- 
ful lesson.  A  march  of  the  most  simple  melody,  and 
merely  drum  rhythm,  which  the  boy  and  his  father 
perform  together  round  about  in  their  apartment,  in- 
spires more  delight  and  feeling  of  measure  than  many 
a  half-year's  instruction.  I  f  by  great  good  fortune  the 
tender  ear  of  childhood  should  be  indulged  with  the 
delicious  enchantment  of  an  opera,  the  few  enraptured 
hours  thus  spent  may  cast  a  broad  and  glowing  beam 
of   sunshine  to  the  latest   days   at   life.     For   such  aa 


110  A    CATECHISM     OF    MUSIC 

initiation  we  could  wish  every  child  to  enjoy  the  dea; 
old,  but  ever  fresh  and  young  Bauberfiote,  that  child'a 
fairy  play,  which  Mozart  has  immortalized  with  the 
power  of  prolonging  and  reproducing  during  all  lives, 
the  earliest  and  most  innocent  blossoms  of  youthful 
delight.  In  this  play,  congenial  childhood  enters  with 
the  sweetest  self-devotion  into  the  wondrous  and  incon- 
ceivable passions  of  maturer  age,  and  is  carried  away 
at  last  to  the  perception  of  the  truth,  to  the  dreadful 
dagger  ;  but  with  such  guileless  purity,  such  forgetful- 
ness  of  self,  that  the  star-flaming  queen  can  scarcely 
be  reproached  when  she  rises  delicately  and  without 
effort  in  melting  harmonies  from  the  midst  of  her  suf- 
ferings. On  the  other  hand,  we  would  withhold  from 
the  young  sensations,  the  old  and  revised  operas  of 
mere  show  and  exaggerated  effect;  and  more  especially 
those  prosaic  representations  of  ordinary  life,  in  which 
the  music  sinks  with  its  subject  into  mere  triviality 
and  nothingness.  In  like  manner  we  would  spare  our 
young  pupils  the  affliction  of  chamber  or  social  music, 
which  in  general  they  do  not  understand,  and  lastly, 
we  recommend  moderation  in  quantity.  The  first  opera 
once,  the  full  organ  in  the  church  when  empty;  seldom 
war-like  music,  and  still  more  rarely,  a  concert. 

These  arc  important  moments  in  the  young  and 
impressible  existence,  and  must  be  of  extraordinary 
occurrences.  Moreover,  we  would  petition  for  the  liberty 
for  all  children  to  play  freely  after  their  own  fashion, 
on  the  piano-forte;   to  invent   and  search  and  lose  them- 


A     CATECHISM     OF     MUSIC  111 

selves  as  they  please,  so  long  as  they  do  not  injure  the 
instrument.  This  ad  libitum  playing  is  mostly  pro- 
hibited, particularly  if  the  days  of  instruction  have 
begun.  The  child  is  told  to  employ  itself  more  use- 
fully in  finger  exercises  or  written  compositions.  But 
how  shall  the  individual  musical  feelings,  or  the  yet 
feeble  inventive  imaginings  be  fostered  and  educated 
to  self-power  and  truthfulness,  if  the  only  and  at  this 
age,  indispensable  means  of  cultivation  be  withheld  '.' 
We  are  delighted  to  hear  of  the  infant  Mozart,  who  in 
the  third  year  of  his  short  life,  sought  to  arrange 
sounds  in  musical  compositions  ;  and  at  the  same  time, 
we  forbid  the  like  practice  to  our  own  children,  or  dis- 
turb their  often  burning  dreams  of  harmony  with  our 
short-sighted  and  self-sufficient  wordly  prudence. 


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